language objectives for writing an essay

Language Objectives: A Step by Step Guide

Do you want to know how to write language objectives? Download the Language Objective Guide to use the graphic organizer with this process. This guide will walk you through how to write language objectives step-by-step. You may be thinking what is a language objective? You might not be sure about content objectives. Teacher talk can get a little overwhelming. I know when I first started I had no idea what all these words mean. Here is a list of commonly used words with their definitions.

A content objective tells the student what they will be learning during the lesson. For example, I can analyze the connections and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events in a text. A language objective tells how the students will learn and/or demonstrate their learning through the four domains of language. The four domains of language are reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Here is an example of a language objective: I can write the connections between events in a text.

If you were anything like me, I was confused on how to write language objectives. Here is a step by step process of how to write a language objective. Remember to ask yourself “How will the students show me through reading, listening, speaking, and writing that they understand the content objective?” Below is a video that I made that explains in detail how to write a language objective.

• Identify the content objective. What do you want the students to learn from the lesson?
• Think about where your students are in their language learning process. Even in mainstream classrooms where are you students in regards to the four domains of language.
• Identify the domain that you are asking students to do in the lesson. For example, there is a lesson where the students will be presenting to the class. The domain you are asking them to demonstrate their understanding would be speaking.

Now that you have gathered the information above here is how you write the language objective:

Sample Language Objective (Writing): I can summarize “ Little Red Riding Hood” using sentence frames with a partner.

• Looking at the chart identify the language domain you will be using in class (Listening, Reading, Speaking, and/or Writing)
• Find the action verb that you will be using. The action verbs vary based on Bloom’s  Taxonomy. Use the chart in this document to help you in deciding on the action verb.
• What is the topic of the lesson?
• Include any scaffolds/supports you will have for the students. A scaffold is teacher added supports for the students so they can master the objective of the lesson.

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Writing objectively How and when to use an impersonal tone

For another look at the same content, check out the video on YouTube (also available on Youku ). There is a worksheet (with answers and teacher's notes) for this video.

Academic writing is generally impersonal and objective in tone. This section considers what objective writing is , how objective academic writing is , then presents several ways to make your writing more objective . There is also an academic article , to show authentic examples of objective language, and a checklist at the end, that you can use to check the objectivity of your own writing.

What is objective writing?

Objective writing places the emphasis on facts, information and arguments, and can be contrasted with subjective writing which relates to personal feelings and biases. Objective writing uses third person pronouns (it, he, she, they), in contrast to subjective writing which uses first person pronouns (I, we) or second person pronoun (you).

How objective is academic writing?

Although many academic writers believe that objectivity is an essential feature of academic writing, conventions are changing and how much this is true depends on the subject of study. An objective, impersonal tone remains essential in the natural sciences (chemistry, biology, physics), which deal with quantitative (i.e. numerical) methods and data. In such subjects, the research is written from the perspective of an impartial observer, who has no emotional connection to the research. Use of a more subjective tone is increasingly acceptable in areas such as naturalist research, business, management, literary studies, theology and philosophical writing, which tend to make greater use of qualitative rather than quantitative data. Reflective writing is increasingly used on university courses and is highly subjective in nature.

How to write objectively

There are many aspects of writing which contribute to an objective tone. The following are some of the main ones.

Use passive

Objective tone is most often connected with the use of passive, which removes the actor from the sentence. For example:

• The experiment was conducted.
• I conducted the experiment.
• The length of the string was measured using a ruler.
• I measured the length of the string with a ruler.

Most academic writers agree that passive should not be overused, and it is generally preferrable for writing to use the active instead, though this is not always possible if the tone is to remain impersonal without use of I or other pronouns. There is, however, a special group of verbs in English called ergative verbs , which are used in the active voice without the actor of the sentence. Examples are dissolve, increase, decrease, lower, and start . For example:

• The white powder dissolved in the liquid.
• I dissolved the white powder in the liquid.
• The white powder was dissolved in the liquid.
• The tax rate increased in 2010.
• We increased the tax rate in 2010.
• The tax rate was increased in 2010.
• The building work started six months ago.
• The workers started the building work six months ago.
• The building work was started six months ago.

Focus on the evidence

Another way to use active voice while remaining objective is to focus on the evidence, and make this the subject of the sentence. For example:

• The findings show...
• The data illustrate...
• The graph displays...
• The literature indicates...

Use evidence from sources

Evidence from sources is a common feature of objective academic writing. This generally uses the third person active. For example:

• Newbold (2021) shows that... He further demonstrates the relationship between...
• Greene and Atwood (2013) suggest that...

Use impersonal constructions

Impersonal constructions with It and There are common ways to write objectively. These structures are often used with hedges (to soften the information) and boosters (to strengthen it) . This kind of language allows the writer to show how strongly they feel about the information, without using emotive language, which should be avoided in academic writing.

• It is clear that... (booster)
• It appears that... (hedge)
• I believe that...
• There are three reasons for this.
• I have identified three reasons for this.
• There are several disadvantages of this approach.
• This is a terrible idea.

Personify the writing

Another way to write objectively is to personify the writing (essay, report, etc.) and make this the subject of the sentence.

• This essay considers the role of diesel emissions in global warming.
• I will discuss the role of diesel emissions in global warming.
• This report has shown that...
• I have shown that...

In short, objective writing means focusing on the information and evidence. While it remains a common feature of academic writing, especially in natural sciences, a subjective tone is increasingly acceptable in fields which make use of qualitative data, as well as in reflective writing. Objectivity in writing can be achieved by:

• using passive;
• focusing on the evidence ( The findings show... );
• referring to sources ( Newbold (2021) shows... );
• using impersonal constructions with It and There ;
• using hedges and boosters to show strength of feeling, rather than emotive language;
• personifying the writing ( This report shows... ).

Bailey, S. (2000). Academic Writing. Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer

Bennett, K. (2009) 'English academic style manuals: A survey', Journal of English for Academic Purposes , 8 (2009) 43-54.

Cottrell, S. (2013). The Study Skills Handbook (4th ed.) , Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan.

Hinkel, E. (2004). Teaching Academic ESL Writing: Practical Techniques in Vocabulary and Grammar . Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc Publishers.

Hyland, K. (2006) English for Academic Purposes: An advanced resource book . Abingdon: Routledge.

Jordan, R. R. (1997) English for academic purposes: A guide and resource book for teachers . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Example article

Below is an authentic academic article. It has been abbreviated by using the abstract and extracts from the article; however, the language is unchanged from the original. Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes) to highlight the different objective features.

Title: Obesity bias and stigma, attitudes and beliefs among entry-level physiotherapy students in the Republic of Ireland: a cross sectional study. Source: : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031940621000353

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Like the website? Try the books. Enter your email to receive a free sample from Academic Writing Genres .

Below is a checklist for using objectivity in academic writing. Use it to check your writing, or as a peer to help. Note: you do not need to use all the ways given here.

Next section

Read more about writing critically in the next section.

• Critical writing

Previous section

Go back to the previous section about using complex grammar .

• Complex grammar

Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 05 February 2024.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

4 Chapter 4: Writing and Teaching to Language Objectives

• All teachers are language teachers.
• Language and content strengths and needs provide a foundation for creating learning objectives.
• Content objectives support facts, ideas, and processes.
• Language objectives support the development of language related to content and process.
• Objectives must be directly addressed by lesson activities.

As you read the scenarios below, think about how your classroom context might be like those of the teachers depicted. Reflect on how you might address the situations these teachers face.

STOP AND DO

Before reading the chapter, discuss with your classmates why the students and the teachers in the scenarios may be having problems. What information or understandings can provide solutions for the teachers?

Both teachers in the chapter-opening scenarios recognize that their students need language help. Like many teachers, however, they have misunderstandings about how language learning occurs, a lack of knowledge about how to integrate content and language, and no notion of why they should. Teachers can help students access the academic content of the class; however, if language is a barrier to access, then they must also consider ways to help learners access the language they need. Contrary to Ms. Alvarez’s belief in the scenario, students do not “absorb” language without scaffolding and focused attention, just like they need for learning content (Crawford & Krashen, 2007). A specific focus on central skills and concepts is critical to learning both language and content. This specific focus on language is important in all classrooms, whether content is presented in an elementary classroom in a thematic unit or in a secondary classroom as a discrete subject. This focus is important because, as we outlined in Chapter 1, each content area has jargon, technical vocabulary, and genre that is specific to that content area. Because ELL and other language teachers may not be well versed in the vocabulary and discourses of all the content areas, regular classroom teachers are probably best suited to teach these types of language with the support of language educators. In essence, all teachers are language teachers to some extent, even if they teach the language of only one content area, as they often do at the secondary level. Chapter 3 focused on understanding students’ needs, backgrounds, and interests. Although content standards and goals for specific grade levels are often prescribed in statewide curricula, the objectives and activities that help learners reach those goals can and should be based on what teachers discover about their students. This chapter focuses on integrating social and academic language needs into content lessons so that all students can access the academic content. An important aspect of teaching language across content areas and themes is understanding how to develop appropriate and relevant language objectives as part of lessons. The development of language objectives and activities that support the objectives is the main emphasis of this chapter.

Understanding Objectives

Different texts call learning objectives by different terms, but it is the idea behind them that is important rather than the exact label. In this text, objectives are statements of attainable, quantifiable lesson outcomes that guide the activities and assessment of the lesson. Objectives differ from goals and standards , which can also be called “learning targets” and are very general statements of learning outcomes. Objectives are also different from activities or tasks , which explain what the students will do to reach the objectives and goals. Objectives typically follow a general format, as outlined in the formula below:

“Students will be able to” + concrete, measurable outcome + content to be learned

The three parts of this formula are equally important. First, “students will be able to”—often abbreviated SWBAT—indicates that what follows in the objective are criteria against which a student’s performance can be evaluated after the lesson. Note that starting an objective with the words “Students will” is not the same as SWBAT because “Students will” indicates what activities the students will do rather than the outcomes that they are expected to achieve from participating in the activity. Second, the concrete, measurable outcome presents the criterion that the evaluation will focus on. The chart in Figure 4.1 presents a list of possible action verbs that can be used to state the measurable outcome. Finally, the third part of the objective states the exact content to be learned and sometimes also includes to what degree it should be mastered (100% accuracy, 9 out of 10 times, etc.).

Figure 4.1 Measurable verbs. Source: Adapted from Action Verbs for Learning Objectives © 2004 Education Oasis™ http://www.educationoasis.com

Content objectives

Most mainstream teachers are accustomed to writing content objectives. Content objectives support the development of facts, ideas, and processes. For example, in a unit about the Civil War, one of the content objectives might be:

• SWBAT name three of five central causes of the Civil War in writing.

Others might include

• SWBAT list the major battles of the Civil War.
• SWBAT recite the first section of the Gettysburg Address.

Which objectives the teacher chooses may depend on the dictates of standards, grade-level requirements, and curricula. Whatever criteria are used for choosing them, those objectives should be developed based on what students already know and need to know and provide a strong guide for the development of the rest of the lesson.

Look at the standards and other content requirements for teaching in your current or future area(s). Write one or more content objectives that might be appropriate for the students that you plan to or do teach. Refer to Figure 4.1 for action verbs. Then review others’ objectives and see what questions you still have about content objectives. [1]

Language objectives

Constructing Language Objectives

The first step in creating language objectives is to determine social and academic language needs based on content objectives. Language needs can fall into these five general categories (adapted from Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2016):

• Vocabulary : Including concept words and other words specific to the content, for example, words that end in -ine , insect body parts, parts of a map, precipitation, condensation, and evaporation.
• Language functions : What students can do with language, for example, define, describe, compare, explain, summarize, ask for information, interrupt, invite, read for main idea, listen and give an opinion, edit, elicit elements of a genre.
• Grammar : How the language is put together (its structure), for example, verb tenses, sentence structure, punctuation, question formation, prepositional phrases.
• Discourse : Ways students use language, for example, in genres such as autobiographies, plays, persuasive writing, newspaper articles, proofs, research reports, speeches, folktales from around the world.
• Language learning strategies : A systematic plan to learn language, for example, determining patterns, previewing texts, taking notes.

For example, the chart in Figure 4.3 shows some of the language in these categories that students might need in order to meet the stated content objective in a lesson on the Civil War.

Figure 4.3 Determining language needs.

STOP AND THINK

Can you think of more examples of the five kinds of language listed previously? Can you think of other types of language that students might need in order to meet the content objective in Figure 4.3? Depending on the teacher’s understandings of her students’ language needs and on what she sees as the most important language elements to emphasize, she might choose one or more of the following language objectives for this lesson:

• SWBAT spell the following vocabulary correctly: economy, secession, federal, abolition .
• SWBAT listen carefully for main ideas from a reading on the Civil War .
• SWBAT use past tense verbs to write complete sentences .

Figure 4.5 Sample objective development process.

Look at Figure 4.5. For each objective, underline the concrete, measurable outcome and circle the content to be learned. Check your answers with a partner. Every content objective does not necessarily require a language objective, and some lessons do not have language objectives at all because all students can access the content with skills and vocabulary that they already possess. However, it is important to examine possible language barriers to content in every lesson and to address them if needed. In summary, the important features of language objectives include the following:

• They derive from the content to be taught.
• They consider the strengths and needs of students.
• They present measurable, achievable outcomes.

First, review the objective(s) you wrote for the Stop and Do about content objectives above. List all of the potential language that students might need in order to access the information and achieve the objective(s). Then choose the most important language, without which students could not possibly access the content, and write one or more language objectives that address this language need.

Teaching to the Language Objectives

Creating language objectives is a good start for addressing the social and academic language needs of students, particularly ELLs, but equally important is that lesson tasks address the objectives. This chapter presents some guidelines for making sure that students meet the language objectives. Chapters 7–11 present specific ideas for teaching to language objectives in a variety of disciplines. Guideline 1: Integrate language and content Just as tasks that address content objectives are integrated into the whole lesson rather than being addressed one by one, language objectives should also be integrated into the lesson and not taught in isolation from it. For example, these objectives were chosen for the Civil War lesson:

• Content: SWBAT state three of five central causes of the Civil War in writing.
• Language: SWBAT use reading strategies to uncover main ideas from a reading on the Civil War.

The teacher could teach about the central causes of the Civil War, separately teach how to identify main ideas, and then hope that the students will apply their knowledge to their Civil War task. This process, however, is problematic in several ways. First, it indicates to students that language is separate from content when it is actually derived directly from the content. In other words, teaching the language objective without content removes much of the context for the language. Second, it breaks up the lesson into chunks, each of which constitutes a separate preparation for the teacher. This is neither an efficient use of the teacher’s and students’ time nor an effective way to teach language. [2] As noted in Chapter 1, some authors believe that all language is contextualized to some extent, but treating language separately from content takes away the specific context that gives the language meaning, making the language more difficult to understand and use. A better choice is for the teacher to integrate the content and language. So, for example, while the students are looking for the causes of the Civil War in their textbooks, the teacher can ask them how they figure out what the causes are, and the students can make a list of strategies to find main ideas. They can practice together by finding the first cause of the Civil War and explaining to each other how they found it. This choice makes the lesson more efficient (by teaching the two objectives at the same time) and effective (helping students see how language and content are related and moving them toward reaching both objectives). Guideline 2: Use pedagogically sound techniques In the past, language was typically taught through drill and practice, exercises with few context clues, and mechanical worksheets. Research has found that these techniques are effective for very few students in very limited contexts. Effective language instruction, in addition to being integrated into content instruction, should meet the following basic criteria:

• It is authentic . This means that it comes from contexts that students actually work in and that it is not stilted or discrete just for grammar study. It is language that students need for a real purpose.
• Language is taught both explicitly and implicitly . Students are both directly exposed and indirectly exposed so they can use strategies to figure out some meaning on their own.
• It is multimodal . Students are exposed to language through different modes such as graphics, reading, and listening, and they can respond in text, drawing, and voice.
• It is relevant . Not all students in a class need all of the language instruction. The teacher can choose to whom the lesson is aimed (small groups, individual students, the whole class) to make it relevant.
• It is based on interaction . Collaboration and cooperation help learners test their assumptions about language.

Guideline 3: Break down the language Each language objective can actually imply a variety of smaller topics. For example, for students to learn past tense, they have to understand what it means in a time sense and also that there are regular and irregular past tense verbs (e.g., those with -ed added, those with alternative changes), different spellings (e.g., go/went), and different pronunciations (e.g., sometimes the -ed ending is pronounced “ed” and sometimes it is pronounced “t”). As with any content, the instructional approach can go whole to part or part to whole or both ways, depending on how students learn best. For example, the teacher might have students read a passage and ask how we know when the events happened (whole) and then review the various aspects of past tense (parts). Or the teacher and students can point out the different aspects of past tense verbs in a required reading first and then work toward a more general understanding of how it helps us know when events occurred. Either way, the parts of past tense should be examined in light of their use in class content. [3] Figure 4.6 summarizes these three basic guidelines for language instruction. Additional guidelines are presented throughout this book.

Figure 4.6 Basic guidelines for helping students meet language objectives.

After reading the chapter, what would you tell the teachers in the chapter-opening scenarios to help them with their concerns?

Every teacher is a language teacher, at least in part, because the language of the content areas requires students to learn social and academic language in order to access the content. Teachers can use their content objectives, which support facts, ideas, and processes, to determine language objectives, which support the development of language related to content and process. Then, by following principles of good pedagogy, teachers can integrate the language and content in lesson activities. Following this process helps make learning more efficient and effective and ensures that all students have a chance to succeed. As crucial as this is, the next chapter shows that there are additional important components of lesson design that teachers can master in order to help all students achieve.

For Reflection

• You as a language teacher . How are you, or will you be, a language teacher? Think about the ways you and your students use or will be required to use language in your classroom. What do these uses mean for your teaching?
• Choosing modes . Think about a lesson you have observed or taught. How can you include more modes so that students are exposed to language in a variety of ways?
• Meeting the standards . Choose one of the content standards from your current or future grade level or content area. Develop one or more content objectives and then create language objectives for the same standard.
• Break down language . Choose a grammar point, language function, or discourse. Using any resources that you need to, list all the aspects of your choice and describe how you might use steps to teach your choice to your current or future students.

Crawford, J., & Krashen, S. (2007). English learners in American classrooms: 101 questions, 101 answers . New York: Scholastic. Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. (2016). Making content comprehensible for English learners . Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

• Find state and national standards by content area on the Education World website at http://www.educationworld.com/standards/index.shtml . ↵
• To decontextualize means to consider something alone or take something away from its context. ↵
• In addition to the techniques and strategies described in this text, others can be found in many excellent guides. See, for example, Herrell and Jordan’s (2016) Fifty Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners (5th edition) and Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model (5th edition) by Echevarria, Vogt, and Short (2016). ↵

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Writing Effective Language Objectives

Writing language objectives can be hard!

Teachers are generally comfortable writing content objectives because those are based on content standards that teachers are familiar with and are sometimes stated right in curricular materials, e.g., In this unit students will…..

Language objectives, not so much.

Including a language objective in every lesson was popularized by the SIOP Model beginning in 2000 and is now a widely accepted practice. After nearly twenty years, it is the feature about which we continue to receive the most questions, bar none.

In short, content objectives (CO) are related to the key concept of the lesson. Although language objectives (LO) connect to the lesson’s topic or activities, their purpose is to promote student academic language growth in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Writing a LO isn’t always as straightforward as a CO because it is based on an aspect of language that students need to learn. It typically takes more thought and preparation. Fortunately, there are ELL/ELD standards to help guide you in writing language objectives.

In our book, Developing Academic Language , Deborah Short and I provide guidelines for identifying objectives and incorporating them into lessons. These guidelines include determining what we want students to learn (CO) and then considering the language needed to accomplish those objectives (LO). It is important that active, measurable verbs are used in objectives so that learning can be assessed. Students are more likely to take responsibility for their own learning when measurable objectives allow them to gauge their progress. Avoid verbs such as learn, understand, become aware of since these cannot be measured.

In a lesson from a unit on the Lewis and Clark expedition, the unit’s guiding standard is, Explain events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. A  content objective for the lesson might be:  Students will identify and describe the main events on the Lewis and Clark expedition .

Language objectives might be:  Students will describe the main events using past tense verbs , and  Students will categorize vocabulary terms using a List-Group-Label activity .

We promote the practice of posting and discussing objectives with students. An agenda, commonly written by teachers on the board, is a list of activities and is not the same as objectives. Objectives focus on an outcome, not an activity. They are the content-based learning targets students need to be able to accomplish the activities. Remember, objectives are what you want students to know or be able to do by the end of the lesson, so instruction needs to address what you’ve set out to do.

When writing language objectives we suggest that teachers:

• Have a consistent introduction that students recognize . Pick whichever one will resonate with your students: SWBAT (students will be able to), SW (students will), We will , Today I will and so forth .
• State the outcome using active, measurable verbs . SIOPer @carlota_holder created this graphic to illustrate some active verbs that may be used across the four domains.. The lists aren’t exhaustive but are a handy reminder of verbs to use. Some, of course, fit in multiple categories. Compare works in writing and speaking as does persuade.

In the listening domain above, the objective would need to include an observable, measurable action such as, Students will listen for details and raise a hand when a key detail is mentioned, or Students will pay attention to the presentation and take notes on the outline provided .

• Focus on the aspect of language students will learn or practice in the lesson . The language feature may need to be explicitly taught or refined and practiced.

So, here’s how a language objective is constructed:

     Students will   describe the main events using past tense verbs.

     Introduction  –  Active, measurable verb –   Language to be learned or practiced

Additional information may be part of the objective, if desired for clarity:

     Students will categorize vocabulary terms using a List-Group-Label activity.

       Introduction  – Active verb   – Language learned     –      Activity

To see objectives in action in a social studies classroom, click here .

One thing is certain, the more you practice writing language objectives, the easier it becomes. Keep in mind a quote from SIOP expert Andrea Rients (@RientsAndrea), “Nobody dies from writing a bad language objective” to which another veteran SIOPer Ana Segulin ( @asegulin)  replied, “A bad language objective is better than NO language objective.”

Post based on : Short, D. & Echevarria, J. (2016). Developing Academic Language Using the SIOP Model . Boston: Pearson.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E. & Short, D. (2017). Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP ® Model, Fifth Edition. Boston: Pearson.

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Writing ELA Objectives

This page will teach you all about writing ELA objectives.

See content and language objectives at the bottom of the page..

ASK YOURSELF:   What do you want your students to learn as a result of the lesson?

• IEP Goal Bank comes in handy to write objectives, too!  
• Education Oasis ~ Stems
• See also writing Content and Language Objectives on my RETELL page .
• Also, check out Hundreds of Free Lesson Plans !

Writing ELA Objectives in 3 easy steps:  create a stem, add a verb, and determine the outcome.

Step 1:  CREATE A STEM

• After completing the lesson, the students (we) will be able to. . .
• After this unit, the students (we) will. . .
• By completing the activities, the students (we) will. . .
• During this lesson, the students (we) will. . .

Make the stems kid-friendly!  🙂

Step 2:  ADD A VERB

• After completing the lesson, the students (we) will be able to predict . . .
• After this unit, the students (we) will distinguish . . .
• By completing the activities, the students (we) will construct . . .
• During this lesson, the students (we) will defend . . .

Step 3:  DETERMINE ACTUAL PRODUCT, PROCESS, OUTCOME

OBJECTIVE SAMPLES   ~ notice how the objectives become more challenging as we move through Bloom’s Taxonomy. Try to teach towards the upper end of Bloom’s Taxonomy. 

The student will. . .

KNOWLEDGE:  

• Draw scenes from chapter_______. Under each scene, describe what is happening. 
• Use a story map to show the events in chapter ________.
• Draw a cartoon strip of the chapter’s beginning, middle, and end.
• List the story’s main events.
• Make a timeline of events.
• Make a facts chart.
• List the pieces of information you remember.
• Make an acrostic.
• Recite a poem.
• Make a chart showing. . . 

COMPREHENSION: 

• Draw a picture that summarizes the chapter. Then, write a sentence that tells about the picture. 
• Summarize the chapter in your own words in one paragraph.
• Summarize the chapter in your own words in two paragraphs.
• Cut out or draw pictures to show an event in the story.
• Illustrate the main idea.
• Make a cartoon strip showing the sequence of events.
• Write and perform a play based on the story.
• Make a coloring book based on the story.
• Retell the story.
• Paint a picture of your favorite part. 
• Prepare a flow chart of the sequence of events.
• Write a summary.

APPLICATION:  

• Be a new character to the story. Tell the story’s ending would change.
• With a partner, change the ending of the story. One person will be a new character, and the other be a character from the book.
• In a group, act out the ending of the story.
• Construct a model to demonstrate how something works.
• Make a diorama to illustrate an important event.
• Compose a book about. . . 
• Make a scrapbook about. . . 
• Make a paper-mache map showing information about. . . 
• Make a puzzle game using ideas from the book.
• Make a clay model of. . . 
• Paint a mural of . . . 
• Design a market strategy for a product.
• Design an ethnic costume.

ANALYSIS:  

• Take an event in the text. Make a text-to-world connection.
• Take an event from the story and make a text-to-text connection.
• Take an event from the story and make a text-to-self connection.
• Design a questionnaire to gather information.
• Make a flow chart to show critical stages.
• Write a commercial for the book.
• Review the illustrations in terms of form, color, and texture.
• Construct a graph to illustrate selected information.
• Construct a jigsaw puzzle.
• Analyze a family tree showing relationships.
• Write a biography about a person being studied.

SYNTHESIS:  

• Design a list of 10 solutions to help a character solve a problem.
• Write a dialogue between you and one of the characters in the book. Then, help the character solve a problem.
• Meet with a partner and role-play how to solve one of the character’s problems.
• Invent a machine to do specific tasks from the text.
• Design a building.
• Create a new product, name it, and plan a marketing campaign.
• Write about your feelings concerning. . . 
• Write a tv show, a puppet show, pantomime, or sing about. . . 
• Design a book or magazine cover about. . . 
• Devise a way to. . . 
• Create a language code. . . 
• Compose a rhythm or put new words in a melody.

EVALUATE:  

• Choose a character and fill out a T chart. Then, express your opinion of the character using 3 pieces of evidence from the book. 
• Choose a character and fill out a T chart to express your opinion of the character. Then, come up with one good detail and discuss it with a partner. 
• Choose a character from the book. Express your opinion of this character using 5 pieces of evidence from the book in T chart form. Use the T chart, and then write a paragraph. 
• Prepare a list of criteria to judge the book. Indicate priority and ratings.
• Conduct a debate about an area of special interest.
• Make a booklet about 5 qualities a character in the book possesses.
• Form a panel to discuss a topic. Discuss criteria.
• Write a letter to_____ advising changes needed.
• Prepare arguments to present your view about. . . 

MORE OBJECTIVE SAMPLES…

MORE OBJECTIVES…

Reading comprehension.

• The student will use prereading strategies to predict what the story is about on a post-it note. The student will explain whether their prediction was confirmed at the end of class, with supporting details from the text.
• During the lesson, the student will generate a list of questions about the story as they read.
• After completing the lesson, the student will be able to make generalizations and draw conclusions about the events in the story by citing three examples.
• After reading the text, the student will be able to answer questions about the story’s meaning.
• At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to summarize the passages.
• By completing the activities, the student will be able to discuss interpretations of the story.
• After reading the text, the student will cite passages to support questions and ideas.
• The student will use context to figure out word meanings and write these meanings on the post-it notes.
• During this lesson, the student will read with a purpose and take notes to monitor comprehension.
• During this lesson, the student will practice various reading strategies and explain how two strategies were used.
• By the end of this unit, the students will apply critical reading strategies to identify main ideas in short passages with 70% mastery.

Critical Thinking

• During this lesson, the student will generate ideas with a clear focus in response to questions.
• By the end of this lesson, the student will support ideas with relevant evidence.
• The students will respond to other students’ ideas, questions, and arguments.
• During this lesson, the students will question other students’ perspectives in a debate.
• By the end of this lesson, the students will present ideas logically and persuasively in writing.

Listening and Speaking

• During this lesson, the student will demonstrate comprehension of stories as they are read aloud by participating in every pupil response activity.
• By the end of this lesson, the students will listen actively and carefully to others and retell others’ opinions and ideas.
• During this lesson, the students will respond to other students’ questions while actively participating in a group discussion.

Writing Content and Language Objectives

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*** PDF of Content and Language Objective Verbs ***

Great examples and step-by-step directions!

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English Studies

This website is dedicated to English Literature, Literary Criticism, Literary Theory, English Language and its teaching and learning.

Essay Writing, Objectives, and Key Terms in Essay Writing

Etymology and meanings of the term “essay”.

Etymologically, the term “essay” originates from the French word “essayer.” In the French context, it means means “to try” or “to attempt.” It seems to have originated in the 16th century when Michel de Montaigne, a French philosopher and perhaps the first essayist, popularized the genre with his collection of personal reflections and thoughts called Essais . Since then, this term has taken up several shapes, names, and meanings.

Whereas its gist is concerned, the word “essay” reflects the idea of an intellectual endeavor, or an attempt made to explore a particular topic, or express one’s point of view coherently.

In the composition form, an essay is a form of written composition. It is a concise, well-organized, and coherent argument, or discussion on a specific topic. It also is a literary genre that allows individuals to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions, providing evidence and proof to support their claims.

Essays typically follow a structured format, including an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. This structure enables the authors to present their arguments logically and persuasively. In an academic setting, it is a requirement to pass a certain course. Therefore, its format could take several shapes such as descriptive, narrative, persuasive, expository, or argumentative, covering a wide range of topics, including but not limited to literature, science, history, philosophy, technology, etc. The main objective, however, is to communicate ideas effectively and engage readers in a thoughtful exploration of a subject. In an academic setting, its main objective is to develop the writing skills of the students to learn the same thing – communicating clearly and concisely.

What Is Essay Required in Academic Writing? What are its Main Objectives?

• Demonstrate Knowledge: The essay provides students an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a subject or topic, using the knowledge they gain during a specific.
• Develop Critical Thinking Skills : The essay writing exercise encourages students to think critically, analyze information, and evaluate different perspectives. It helps them to develop skills in high-order thinking such as reasoning, logic, and problem-solving.
• Enhance Research Skills: Essays often require students to research for information and support their arguments. This helps students to improve their research skills such as finding credible sources, evaluating those sources for credibility and legitimacy, and integrating them into their writing as evidence to support their arguments.
• Communicate Ideas Clearly: Writing essays helps students to develop the ability to communicate ideas clearly and make coherently. This practice enables them to organize their thoughts, articulate their perspectives, and present complex concepts in an academic style.
• Develop Writing Skills: Essays provide an opportunity for students to improve their writing skills such as grammar, sentence structure, writing style, vocabulary, and usage. It also allows them to practice expressing their ideas effectively in writing.
• Foster Critical Reading: Writing essays often requires students to read and analyze various sources. This promotes critical reading skills in the students, enabling them to engage with scholarly literature, evaluate arguments, and extract relevant information from texts to enter an academic and research dialogue.
• Promote Time Management and Planning: The process of writing an essay involves planning, organizing ideas, and managing time effectively. It helps students to develop skills in setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and breaking down larger tasks into manageable steps.
• Encourage Originality and Creativity: Essay writing exercises provide students an opportunity to learn to express their original ideas, interpret them further, and develop unique and personal perspectives on a given topic. It also encourages them to be creative in formulating and writing arguments and having different insights into issues.
• Assess Learning and Understanding: Essays serve as an assessment tool for educators to evaluate students’ comprehension, synthesis of information, critical thinking abilities, and writing proficiency. They also allow educators to evaluate the depth of students’ understanding of the subject matter.

These objectives highlight how essays are important in academic writing, emphasizing their role in knowledge demonstration, critical thinking development, research skills enhancement, effective communication, and academic growth of the students. However, writing an essay requires students to know certain jargon about this specific academic activity. Some key terms in essay writing are as follows.

Key Terms in an Essay

• Thesis Statement: It is a clear, concise and synthesized statement. It presents the main argument of the essay. It occurs at the end of the introduction in a common essay.
• Introduction: It is the opening paragraph(s) of the essay. It introduces the topic with a hook that arrests the attention of the readers, provides background information, and presents the thesis statement. In most essays, it is just a single paragraph, while in big essays it could have two or even three short paragraphs.
• Body Paragraphs: It is the main section(s) of the essay that develops and supports the thesis statement by presenting evidence, analysis, and arguments.
• Topic Sentence: It is a sentence at the beginning of a paragraph that introduces the main idea or argument of that specific paragraph.
• Evidence: It includes information, examples, data, or research findings that support the claims and arguments made in the essay.
• Analysis: It is the examination and interpretation of evidence, connecting it to the main argument and demonstrating its relevance and significance.
• Counterargument: It is an opposing viewpoint or argument that challenges the main argument of the essay. The main body of the essay addresses and refutes this argument.
• Conclusion: It is the final paragraph(s) of the essay. It summarizes the main points, restates the thesis statement, and provides a closing thought or call to action.
• Transitions: Words or phrases that connect ideas, sentences, or paragraphs, providing a smooth flow and logical progression of thoughts.
• Citation: It means to acknowledge the sources and refer to them within the text through intext citation. It ensures to give proper credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism.
• Paraphrase: It means restating someone else’s ideas or information in one’s own words, while still attributing the original source. However, in some cases, it is considered an overall rewriting task or recreating task.
• Synthesis: It is the process of integrating information from various sources or perspectives to develop a comprehensive understanding of the topic.
• Coherence: It is the logical and smooth connection between ideas and paragraphs, ensuring that the essay is easy to follow and understand.
• Academic Style: The formal and objective writing style appropriate for academic essays, characterized by clarity, precision, and adherence to disciplinary conventions.
• Revision: It is the process of reviewing and refining the essay, focusing on improving clarity, coherence, and overall effectiveness.

These key terms help students and writers to provide structure, clarity, and cohesion to their essays, enabling them to effectively communicate their arguments and ideas to their readers and audience.

More from Essay Writing:

• Reflective Essay: How to Write it
• Persuasive Essay
• Debatable Thesis Statement
• Essay Outline: Common Questions
• Essay Outlines: Common Questions
• Sissy Jupe: A Paragon of Humanism in the Midst of Capitalism

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Objective Writing: Student Guidelines & Examples

• Icon Calendar 9 August 2024
• Icon Page 2367 words
• Icon Clock 11 min read

A primary purpose of higher learning is to communicate ideas effectively through objective thinking and writing. Basically, teachers expect students to present accurate findings, concerning a specific matter and use verifiable evidence. Moreover, a particular objective method is unique because it allows one to gather, calculate, or evaluate information. In turn, objective writing enables people to present irrefutable facts, apply critical thinking styles, maintain a neutral tone, and use formal and explicit language.

What Is Objective Writing and Its Purpose

According to its definition, objective writing is a specific style and form of communication that presents information and ideas without bias, emotions, or personal opinions. Unlike subjective writing, which includes personal opinions and emotions, objective one relies on evidence, statistics, and verifiable data to convey its message. For example, the main purpose of objective writing is to provide readers with factual, clear, and unbiased information, allowing them to form their own conclusions (Lindsey & Garcia, 2024). Moreover, this approach is especially important in various contexts, like academic papers, news reporting, and technical documentation, where a particular integrity of the information is crucial. By eliminating personal bias and focusing solely on clear facts, such compositions allows a reader to make informed and well-articulated decisions based on the information provided (Barnett & Gionfriddo, 2016). In terms of pages and words, the length of objective writing depends on academic levels, specific requirements, and study disciplines, while general guidelines are:

High School

• Length: 1-3 pages
• Word Count: 250-750 words
• Context: High school assignments often include essays, reports, or short research papers. A key focus is on developing basic academic skills and an ability to present facts clearly and objectively.
• Length: 2-4 pages
• Word Count: 500-1,000 words
• Context: College-level compositions often involve more detailed essays, research papers, and reports. A particular expectation is for more in-depth analysis and an entire use of multiple sources to support an objective presentation of information.
• Length: 3-5 pages
• Word Count: 750-1,250 words
• Context: At a university level, assignments become more complex and detailed, with an emphasis on critical thinking, research, and an ability to present information in an unbiased manner.

Master’s

• Length: 4-10 pages
• Word Count: 1,000-2,500 words
• Context: Master’s level papers involves comprehensive research papers, theses, or projects that require extensive research, analysis, and a particular presentation of information with a high level of objectivity and academic rigor.
• Length: 6-20+ pages
• Word Count: 1,500-5,000+ words
• Context: Ph.D. works, such as dissertations or research articles, demands original research, deep analysis, and a thorough presentation of findings. Objective compositions at this level are expected to be detailed, unbiased, and contribute to a specific field of study.

Note: Some sections of objective writing can be added, deleted, or combined with each other, and such a composition depends on what an author intends to share with readers. For example, a key feature of objective writing is a particular use of unbiased and factual language that presents information based on evidence rather than personal opinions or emotions (Lindsey & Garcia, 2024). Besides, an objective writing method is a technique that involves presenting information and arguments in a neutral, unbiased, and fact-based manner without allowing personal opinions or emotions to influence an entire content. Further on, subjective writing expresses personal opinions, emotions, and perspectives, while objective one presents information and facts in an unbiased and neutral manner without personal influence. In turn, an example of objective writing is a research paper that presents data and findings from a study without bias or personal interpretation, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions (Snyder, 2019). Finally, to start objective writing, people begin with a clear and factual statement that introduces a specific topic without personal opinions or emotional language.

Steps on How to Be Objective in Writing

To write objectively, people clearly state a specific goal or purpose in a concise and measurable way, focusing on a desired outcome without personal bias or emotional language.

• Understand Your Purpose: Clearly define a specific goal of your composition to focus on delivering unbiased information.
• Research Thoroughly: Gather all the necessary information from credible sources to ensure accuracy and a balanced perspective.
• Avoid Personal Bias: Keep personal opinions and emotions out of your essay or research paper to maintain objectivity.
• Use Neutral Language: Choose words that are impartial and avoid emotionally charged or persuasive language.
• Stick to Facts: Present verifiable facts and data rather than speculation or assumptions.
• Consider Multiple Viewpoints: Acknowledge different perspectives to provide a well-rounded analysis.
• Cite Sources Properly: Give credit to all sources of information, ensuring transparency and credibility.
• Edit for Objectivity: Review your document to eliminate any unintentional bias or subjective language.
• Be Transparent About Limitations: Clearly state any limitations in your research or analysis to avoid misleading readers.
• Seek Feedback: Have others review your work to identify any potential bias or subjective elements you might have missed.

Presenting Facts

In simple words, objective writing is a factual process that enhances knowledge. For example, students gather facts that support a selected topic and support arguments with evidence from credible sources (Moran, 2019). Besides, they need to address both sides of an opinion. Then, being objective makes essays or research papers appear professional and reliable. In turn, people avoid making judgments and remain fair in their final works (Kraus et al., 2022). As a result, this strategy allows individuals to present accurate information that addresses existing knowledge gaps. In turn, some examples of sentence starters for beginning any writing objectively are:

• Based on the available evidence, it can be concluded that … .
• A thorough review of existing knowledge and literature indicates that … .
• According to a comprehensive analysis of the data, it is evident that … .
• Research conducted by [Author/Institution] suggests that … .
• The findings from various studies consistently show that … .
• An examination of the facts reveals that … .
• Objective analysis of a given situation indicates that … .
• A particular consensus among experts in a field is that … .
• Documented evidence supports the conclusion that … .
• In light of the data presented, it is clear that … .

Using Critical Thinking Skills

Objective writing is unique because it enhances critical thinking. For example, students evaluate, calculate, and verify an obtained set of information (Flicker & Nixon, 2016). In this case, they must gather relevant details and determine their significance to a chosen subject. Besides, people must ensure an intended audience attains a deeper understanding of a presented topic. Therefore, authors need to appraise information to achieve desired goals.

Maintaining a Neutral Tone

Objective writing is essential because it allows students to use a neutral tone. For example, an objective tone is a neutral and impartial manner of writing that focuses on presenting facts and information without emotional influence or personal bias (Lindsey & Garcia, 2024). In this case, one should not use opinionated, biased, or exclusive language. Further on, authors must submit unbiased information to a target audience and allow readers to determine their opinions. However, imbalanced information does not persuade a target audience to accept a narrow way of thinking (Moran, 2019). In turn, such an approach helps writers to present relevant facts about a specific subject. Thus, scholars need to learn how to maintain an objective and neutral tone since this method allows them to be less judgmental.

Following a Formal Style

Objective writing is an essential skill because it helps students to follow a formal style. Basically, academic papers must use official and formal language, and students must avoid personal pronouns (Lindsey & Garcia, 2024). As such, an extensive use of a third person enhances an overall clarity of an assignment. Then, following a formal style helps scholars to avoid intensifiers that exaggerate their arguments. For example, people should avoid words, like “very” and “really,” since they make information vague (Barnett & Gionfriddo, 2016). Besides, scholarly papers require a proper use of punctuation marks. In turn, successful learners proofread their works to ensure they use commas and full stops effectively. Moreover, this approach prevents all forms of miscommunication. As a result, people need to follow standard rules of objective writing because it trains them to maintain a formal tone in their papers.  

Expressing Ideas

Objective writing allows students to express ideas explicitly. In this case, they need to develop precise sentences to express their thoughts. For example, to write in objective language, people use neutral and factual words that avoid personal opinions, emotions, or biases, focusing solely on evidence-based information (Lindsey & Garcia, 2024). Besides, this approach helps essays to stand out, while students can make their work comprehensible. Hence, people need to learn key features of objective thinking because it allows them to communicate clearly.

What to Include

Common Mistakes

• Using Biased Language: Inadvertently including words or phrases that convey personal opinions or emotions.
• Ignoring Counterarguments: Failing to acknowledge opposing viewpoints, which can make an entire composition appear one-sided.
• Cherry-Picking Data: Selecting only a particular data that supports a specific viewpoint, leading to a biased representation of information.
• Overgeneralizing: Making broad statements without sufficient evidence, which can lead to inaccurate conclusions.
• Failing to Cite Sources: Not properly attributing information to its original source, reducing credibility and transparency.
• Assuming a Reader’s Agreement: Writing as if a reader already shares your perspective, which can undermine objectivity.
• Relying on Anecdotes: Using personal stories or isolated examples instead of comprehensive evidence, which weakens the objectivity.
• Using Absolutes: Employing terms, like “always” or “never,” that leave no room for exceptions or nuances.
• Misinterpreting Data: Drawing conclusions that are not fully supported by presented evidence, leading to misleading statements.
• Overusing Jargon: Using specialized language that may confuse readers and obscure an objective presentation of information.

Objective writing requires people to cover irrefutable facts. Basically, such a process is unique because it enables students to develop critical thinking skills when completing assignments. Furthermore, they should learn key features of objective writing because they gain a particular ability to follow a neutral tone. In turn, students can learn how to write objectively by using a formal and neutral style and improve an overall quality of their academic essays or research papers.

Barnett, D. L., & Gionfriddo, J. K. (2016). Legal reasoning and objective writing: A comprehensive approach . Wolters Kluwer.

Flicker, S., & Nixon, S. A. (2016). Writing peer-reviewed articles with diverse teams: Considerations for novice scholars conducting community-engaged research. Health Promotion International , 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daw059

Kraus, S., Breier, M., Lim, W. M., Dabić, M., Kumar, S., Kanbach, D., Mukherjee, D., Corvello, V., Piñeiro-Chousa, J., Liguori, E., Palacios-Marqués, D., Schiavone, F., Ferraris, A., Fernandes, C., & Ferreira, J. J. (2022). Literature reviews as independent studies: Guidelines for academic practice. Review of Managerial Science , 16 (8), 2577–2595. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-022-00588-8

Lindsey, M., & Garcia, H. (2024). Engaging writing activities: Objective-driven timed exercises for classroom and independent practice . Rowman & Littlefield.

Moran, J. (2019). First you write a sentence: The elements of reading, writing … and life . Penguin Books.

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research , 104 , 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039

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What is Objective Writing? Why Neutral Language Matters

What is objective writing? Master the skill of delivering unbiased information effectively with proven techniques and examples.

In today’s world, the way we present ideas and data can shape opinions, influence decisions, and impact the world around us. One of the most important principles of communication is objectivity. Objective writing is writing that presents information in a neutral and unbiased way. This means avoiding personal opinions, beliefs, or biases. It also means avoiding using emotional language or making subjective statements. Objective writing is typically clearer and easier to understand than subjective writing. It is also seen as more credible and trustworthy. This is because readers know that the writer is not trying to persuade them or influence their opinions.

Related article: Mastering Critical Reading: Uncover The Art Of Analyzing Texts

In a world where there is so much information available, it is more important than ever to be able to distinguish between objective and subjective writing. Objective writing is essential for fostering critical thinking and making informed decisions. This article will explore the importance of objective writing and its role in communication. We will look at how objective writing can be used to foster credibility, deliver accurate information, and promote critical thinking.

What Is Objective Writing?

Objective writing is a style of writing that presents information in a neutral and unbiased manner, without expressing personal opinions, emotions, or beliefs. The primary goal of objective writing is to provide facts, evidence, and logical reasoning to inform the reader without trying to persuade or influence their opinion.

About the question “What is objective writing?”, the author, in this kind of writing, strives to eliminate any potential bias, avoid making value judgments, and maintain a professional and impartial tone. This type of writing is commonly used in news reporting, scientific research papers, academic essays , and other forms of non-fiction writing.

Benefits Of Writing Objectively

Clarity and Understanding: Objective writing presents information in a clear and unbiased manner, allowing readers to conceive the facts without being influenced by the writer’s personal opinions or emotions. This promotes a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Credibility and Trustworthiness: Objective writing enhances the credibility of the writer and the content. When information is presented without bias, readers are more likely to trust the accuracy and reliability of the material.

Unbiased Evaluation: Objectivity enables fair evaluation of different viewpoints, arguments, and evidence. It allows readers to form their own opinions based on the presented facts, rather than being persuaded by the writer’s subjective views.

Professionalism in Academic and Formal Writing: In academic and formal settings, objective writing is expected as it upholds the standards of professionalism and integrity in research, essays, and reports.

Conflict Resolution: Objective writing is particularly valuable in discussions and debates, as it helps to reduce conflicts by focusing on facts rather than personal feelings or biases.

Avoiding Stereotypes and Prejudices: Writing objectively helps to avoid reinforcing stereotypes and prejudices, promoting a more inclusive and open-minded perspective.

Enhanced Critical Thinking: By analyzing information objectively, writers and readers can engage in deeper critical thinking, questioning assumptions, and considering alternative viewpoints.

Appropriate in Scientific and Technical Fields: In scientific and technical writing, objectivity is essential to maintain the accuracy and validity of research findings and technical information.

Global Audience Accessibility: Objective writing is more accessible to a diverse global audience, as it transcends cultural and individual differences, making the content relevant to a broader readership.

Ethical Reporting: Journalists and reporters strive for objectivity in their news reporting to provide unbiased and truthful information to the public, upholding ethical standards in journalism.

Overall, writing objectively fosters transparency, fairness, and respect for differing perspectives, contributing to more informed, trustworthy, and inclusive communication.

Subjectivity Writing

Subjectivity and objectivity are two fundamental aspects of writing that influence how information is presented and perceived. Subjectivity refers to the presence of personal opinions, feelings, and biases in writing. It involves the writer’s perspective, emotions, and interpretations, which can impact how they convey information to the reader.

What Is Subjective Writing?

Subjective writing is a style of writing where the author expresses their personal opinions, emotions, and viewpoints on a particular subject. In subjective writing, the author’s feelings, beliefs, and individual experiences play a significant role in shaping the content. This type of writing often uses first-person pronouns, such as “I” or “we,” and employs emotional language to convey the author’s thoughts and emotions.

Subjective writing is prevalent in creative writing, personal essays, memoirs, and certain types of journalistic pieces, such as opinion columns or editorials. It allows writers to connect with the reader on a more personal level, sharing their unique perspectives and inviting the audience to empathize with their point of view.

The Difference Between Objective And Subjective Writing

It’s essential to recognize that both objective and subjective writing have their place in various contexts. Objective writing provides factual information and encourages critical thinking, while subjective writing allows for self-expression and emotional engagement. The choice between the two depends on the writer’s intentions, the subject matter, and the target audience.

Understanding the difference between objective and subjective writing enables writers to choose the appropriate style based on their intended purpose and the expectations of their audience. It also empowers readers to identify when they are encountering subjective content and approach it with a discerning mindset, acknowledging the presence of the author’s perspective.

Elements Of Objective Writing

Objective writing is characterized by its neutral and unbiased approach to presenting information. Writers strive to eliminate personal biases and emotions, focusing on factual accuracy and logical reasoning. Several key elements contribute to achieving objectivity in writing:

Avoiding Personal Pronouns

Objective writing minimizes the use of personal pronouns like “I,” “we,” or “you.” By avoiding these pronouns, the writer maintains a level of distance between themselves and the content, making it less likely for their personal opinions or biases to influence the information presented. Instead of writing, “I believe that,” or “In my opinion,” the objective writer would present the information without explicitly inserting themselves into the narrative. For example, “According to research,” or “Studies indicate that.”

Focusing On Facts, Not Emotions Or Opinions

Objective writing prioritizes the presentation of verifiable facts, evidence, and data over personal emotions or opinions. The writer should refrain from using emotionally charged language or expressing their feelings about the subject matter. Instead, they rely on evidence-based information to support their claims. When presenting an argument or discussing a topic, the focus is on logical reasoning and empirical support rather than emotional persuasion.

Using An Active Voice And Ergative Verbs

The active voice is preferred in objective writing because it clearly identifies the subject and the action they are performing. This contributes to clarity and directness in the writing. In contrast, the passive voice can sometimes be used to obscure responsibility or agency, potentially leading to less objective writing. Ergative verbs, which don’t require an object to complete their meaning, can also help make sentences more concise and focused.

Example (Active Voice): “The committee made the decision.” Example (Passive Voice): “The decision was made by the committee.”

Referencing Sources For Evidence And Support

Objective writing relies heavily on evidence and support from reputable sources. By referencing and citing authoritative works, research studies, experts, and reliable data, the writer reinforces the credibility of their writing. These citations also allow readers to verify the information independently, adding transparency and accountability to the content.

Maintaining A Neutral Tone In The Writing

A neutral tone is crucial in objective writing. The language used should be professional, impartial, and devoid of emotional bias. The writer should avoid overly positive or negative language that could sway the reader’s perception. Instead, the content should present information objectively, allowing the readers to draw their conclusions based on the facts and evidence provided.

Example (Neutral Tone): “The study findings suggest a correlation between X and Y, according to the researchers’ analysis.”

Common Examples Of Objective Writing

Objective writing fosters transparency, credibility, and the dissemination of reliable information across various domains, contributing to an informed and knowledgeable society. This type of writing has distinct purposes: ensuring clear communication in instruction manuals, providing unbiased information in news reporting, and maintaining scientific rigor in natural science reports. 

Instruction Manual

Instruction manuals are a classic example of objective writing. These documents provide step-by-step guidance on how to use a product or perform a specific task. Objective writing in instruction manuals focuses on clarity, precision, and neutrality. It avoids subjective language and personal opinions, instead using concise and straightforward language to ensure readers can follow the instructions accurately. The emphasis is on providing clear directions and information, leaving no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.

Example (Objective Writing in an Instruction Manual): “Insert the round end of the cable into the designated port until you hear a click.”

News Reporting

News reporting is one of the primary domains where objective writing is crucial. Journalists aim to present news stories in a fair, accurate, and unbiased manner. Objective news articles provide the who, what, where, when, why, and how of an event without injecting personal opinions or emotions. They rely on credible sources, facts, and verified information to inform the public objectively. While opinion pieces and editorials allow for subjectivity, standard news reporting adheres to objective principles.

Example (Objective News Reporting): “In a press conference today, the Prime Minister announced new economic measures to address unemployment. The plan includes tax incentives for businesses and increased funding for job training programs.”

Natural Science Reports

Objective writing is a fundamental aspect of scientific reports, particularly in the field of natural sciences. Scientific reports present research findings, experiments, and observations without personal bias or emotional influence. The language used is precise and technical, and statements are supported by empirical evidence and data. Objectivity ensures that other researchers can replicate experiments and validate the conclusions, promoting the advancement of scientific knowledge.

Example (Objective Writing in a Natural Science Report): “The results of the study show a significant correlation between the increase in temperature and the rate of plant growth. The experiment was conducted over a three-month period, and the data were collected and analyzed using standard statistical methods.”

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Objectives for Writing an Essay

An essay does more than inform or persuade a reader. The process of writing an essay teaches a student how to research a topic and organize her thoughts into an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Essay writing objectives apply to expository and persuasive essays on a variety of topics.

Thesis Development

Every essay should clearly state a thesis -- the main idea of the essay. A mere overview of a topic that does not take a stand one way or the other is not a thesis. The main idea of the essay should be obvious to the reader.

Organizational Patterns

The student's essay should be well organized and should not stray from his main topic. The essay should start by introducing the reader to the main points that the writer will cover in the essay. It should use transitions from general to specific to present the information. The essay should end with a conclusion that sums up the main points and restates the thesis.

Content Details

The student should provide detailed information about her thesis, supported by reputable, authoritative research references. The student should make her strongest points first, including just one main point in each paragraph. She should anticipate and rebut her opponent's arguments against the thesis and discuss plausible alternatives to the thesis.

Style Points

The student should use a consistent, academic voice. His essay should conform to assigned style guidelines and should be free of misspellings and grammatical errors. The writer should cite all references in proper format, and each reference must support the material for which he cited it.

Marilyn Lindblad practices law on the west coast of the United States. She has been a freelance writer since 2007. Her work has appeared on various websites. Lindblad received her Juris Doctor from Lewis and Clark Law School.

Copyright © 2024 WETA Washington, D.C.

Practice writing language objectives.

Language objectives highlight the language skills and goals that students will need to master a lesson. An ELL teacher can help you identify language goals for a lesson, such as:

·        Students can define and use key science vocabulary.

More Resources

Language objectives: the key to effective content area instruction for english learners.

This article provides an overview of how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners and offers classroom-based examples from different grade and subject levels.

This article written for Colorín Colorado provides an overview of how to use language objectives in content-area instruction for English learners and includes:

• what a language objective is
• steps that teachers can take to create language objectives
• how to implement language objectives in a general education classroom
• how to align objectives to content and language standards
• ideas and resources on how to support teachers as they become familiar with this practice
• how to use language objectives in distance learning environments.

Language Objectives: An Overview

Mrs. Shell has been teaching eighth grade math for twelve years. She has deep content area knowledge and wants to provide all of her students with authentic activities and tasks to relate the significance of the mathematical concepts that she teaches to their lives. Mrs. Shell has always felt successful at teaching her classes but this year has been different. Her sections include students with more diverse backgrounds than previous years, particularly more English learners.

As Mrs. Shell was beginning to feel frustrated with her inability to reach all her students because of their needs, she learned about one way to make her content more comprehensible to all her students — creating and posting objectives that tell the students not just what content concepts they will learn in each lesson, but also the academic language they will need to learn and use to meet the state's math standards. With this knowledge, Mrs. Shell is now confident that she not only knows what to teach, but also how to teach it so that all her students can be successful.

Academic English

Generally speaking, academic English is the language of schooling and the language that helps students acquire and use the content area knowledge taught in schools (Anstrom, DiCerbo, Butler, Katz, Millet, & Rivera, 2010).

Teaching content to ELs: The challenge

In my work supporting general education and ESL/bilingual teachers who provide sheltered instruction for English learners (ELs), I have met many teachers like Mrs. Shell. While these teachers want to provide effective instruction for their ELs, often they don't see themselves as language teachers and so they aren't sure where to begin with their students.

These teachers aren't alone, however, and they are facing a challenge shared by teachers across the country. We know that for school-age students, academic language is crucial for school success (Francis, Rivera, Lesaux, Kieffer, & Rivera, 2006). In addition, research allows us to state with a fair degree of confidence that English learners best acquire English when language forms are explicitly taught and when they have many opportunities to use the language in meaningful contexts (Goldenberg, 2008).

Yet while the explicit instructional support that ESL and bilingual teachers provide is essential to English learners' academic language development, English learners receive a majority of their instruction from general education and content area teachers who may not have experience teaching academic language development.

The question becomes then: What do general education classroom teachers need to do in order to support the academic English development of language learners in both face-to-face and virtual environments, especially when English learners are one of many types of students they serve?

Teaching content to ELs: The solution

One principle that teachers of English learners can begin to apply immediately is creating and posting language objectives for their lessons (whether in the classroom or online in a virtual space. Many teachers are familiar with using content objectives to identify what students will learn and be able to do in the lesson. However, they are less likely to include language objectives that support the linguistic development of their students.

Implementing language objectives can be a powerful first step in ensuring that English learners have equal access to the curriculum even though they may not be fully proficient in the language. This is because the second language acquisition process requires opportunities for the language learner to be exposed to, practice with, and then be assessed on their language skills (Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008).

To this end, language objectives:

• articulate for learners the academic language functions and skills that they need to master to fully participate in the lesson and meet the grade-level content standards (Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008).
• are beneficial not only for language learners but for all students in a class, as everyone can benefit from the clarity that comes with a teacher outlining the requisite academic language to be learned and mastered in each lesson.

Now let's take a closer look at some examples and how to write language objectives.

Writing Language Objectives

Interview with dr. jennifer himmel.

Learn more about language objectives in this podcast interview with Dr. Himmel from Teaching Multilingual Learners, produced by Tan Huynh.

What is a language objective?

Language objectives are lesson objectives that specifically outline the type of language that students will need to learn and use in order to accomplish the goals of the lesson. Quality language objectives complement the content knowledge and skills identified in content area standards and address the aspects of academic language that will be developed or reinforced during the teaching of grade-level content concepts (Echevarria & Short, 2010).

These objectives involve the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing), but they can also include:

• the language functions related to the topic of the lesson (e.g., justify, hypothesize)
• vocabulary essential to a student being able to fully participate in the lesson (e.g., axis, locate, graph)
• language learning strategies to aid in comprehension (e.g, questioning, making predictions).

Below are examples of language objectives for different content areas and grade levels. They come from the Common Core State Standards for Math and English Language Arts (2012) and state standards in New York and California.

• Common Core State Standards for Math and English Language Arts, 2012
• Learning Standards for Core Curriculum , New York State Department of Education, 1996
• Science Content Standards for California Public Schools, K-12 , reprinted 2003

How do I create effective language objectives?

Video bonus.

Language objectives are directly correlated to content objectives. Once a teacher determines the lesson topic from the appropriate content standards, the teacher will want to begin thinking about the academic language necessary for English learners to complete the tasks that support the content objectives. This identification of the academic language embedded in the lesson's content will become the basis for the lesson's language objectives.

You can use the following guidelines to start thinking about appropriate language objectives for the lesson:

• Decide what key vocabulary, concept words, and other academic words students will need to know in order to talk, read, and write about the topic of the lesson. Those words might be taught as a language objective. They should include technical terms, such as ecosystem , and terms like distribution that have different meanings across content areas. Other terms to highlight are those that language learners may know in one context, such as family (as in parents, siblings, etc.), but that have a different use in science (e.g., family of elements in the periodic table).
• Consider the language functions related to the topic of the lesson (e.g, will the students describe, explain, compare, or chart information). See your state English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards for examples of these functions for English language arts, math, science, and social studies for all English proficiency levels and grade-level clusters.
• Think about the language skills necessary for students to accomplish the lesson's activities. Will the students be reading a textbook passage to identify the stages of mitosis? Are they able to read a text passage to find specific information? Will they be reporting what they observe during a scientific demonstration to a peer? Do they know how to report observations orally? Acquiring the skills needed to carry out these tasks might be the focus of a language objective.
• Identify grammar or language structures common to the content area. For example, many science textbooks use the passive voice to describe processes. Additionally, students may have to use comparative language to analyze two related concepts. Writing with the passive voice or using comparative phrases might be a language objective.
• Consider the tasks that the students will complete and the language that will be embedded in those assignments. If students are working on a scientific investigation together, will they need to explain the steps of the procedure to one another? The language objective might focus on how to explain procedures aloud.
• Explore language learning strategies that lend themselves to the topic of the lesson. For example, if students are starting a new chapter in the textbook, the strategy of previewing the text might be an appropriate language objective.

(Adapted from Short, Himmel, Gutierrez, & Hudec, 2012. Used with permission.)

Aligning Language Objectives and Standards

English language proficiency (elp) standards.

Developing appropriate language objectives for lessons involves becoming familiar with a state's content area and ELP standards. Whereas the content standards will provide the topic of the lesson and what exactly the students should be doing with that topic (e.g., solving problems, creating models, ranking ideas), the English language proficiency or development standards help to identify language skills and functions that students should be working on to achieve academic language fluency. These ELP standards can help to identify:

• communicative tasks (e.g., retelling, asking clarification questions)
• language structures (e.g., sequential language, past-conditional tense)
• types of texts students need to understand (e.g., informational text versus literature).

English Language Arts (ELA) standards

Other resources in addition to the ELP standards are a state's English Language Arts standards or the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History, Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CCSS). The English Language Arts and Literacy CCSS might be especially useful to teachers of English learners due to its attention to literacy across the content areas.

Additional resources to consult, especially if a state is a member of the WIDA consortium , are the Model Proficiency Indicators (MPIs) outlined in their ELP standards . The MPIs outline what an English learner at a specific level of English language proficiency can do in a language domain (e.g., listening) by addressing the language functions embedded in an example topic for that content area with appropriate scaffolds or support (Gottlieb, Cranley, & Cammileri, 2007). Classroom texts and other materials (e.g., science investigations, primary source documents) are other good sources to consult when preparing a lesson.

Classroom example #1: The cell cycle

To demonstrate how teachers can begin to explore identifying academic language in a lesson, let's look at how one teacher, Mr. Zhang, approaches this task.

Mr. Zhang's 7th grade science students have been working on the cell cycle. The content standards for 7th grade science indicate that students must be able to investigate and understand that all living things are composed of cells, with a key concept being cell division. The content objective for this lesson asks the students to compare and contrast the cycle of a normal cell with a cancer cell.

Because the students have already focused on the new vocabulary and grammar structures in this unit, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Lewis, the ELL teacher, decide that addressing the language functions required to complete tasks should be their next linguistic goal for the students. From there, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Lewis brainstorm some scientific language related to the cell cycle that might need to be directly taught in order for the students to master the content and ELP standards:

• The language of comparison — in order to have students explain what they learned about the normal and cancer cell cycle (e.g., more than…less than)
• Sequencing — in order to have students clearly outline the steps in the cycle for each type of cell (e.g., first, second, finally)
• Recording ideas in a graphic organizer — for students to be able to identify main ideas and organize them (e.g., Venn diagram),
• Summarizing — either orally or in writing, in order to have students demonstrate mastery of the topic.

Once Mr. Zhang and Mr. Lewis have identified the language objectives they want to focus on, they must look at the state's grades 6-8 ELP standards. When they look at the standards, they see that the students at low-intermediate to advanced language proficiency must be able to record information from oral input and explain, with detail, the similarities and differences between ideas/concepts/things. Given these ELP standards and the content objective, they decide that the best use of class time is to highlight oral language development and thus create the following the language objective:

Students will be able to orally explain the differences and similarities between normal and cancer cell cycles.

Getting Started

How can i get started, planning template.

The Content and Language Objectives planning template used in SIOP Model workshops offered by CAL helps teachers begin to practice writing their own objectives.

Careful lesson planning

In creating measureable and student-friendly language objectives that support the content objectives, it is important that learner tasks in the lesson are aligned with the objectives. It is not enough to have well-written objectives that promote language acquisition if the lesson is lacking in tasks that support the objectives. If the language objective for a middle school social studies lesson is for the students to orally retell the key characteristics in a historical event using sequential language, it is important that the teacher previews sequential language with the students, such as providing sentence stems or frames, and builds into the lesson some structured pair work so the students have an opportunity to retell the event to a peer. Therefore, careful lesson planning is another essential step in preparing effective language objectives.

Collaboration

It is also useful for content area and ESL/bilingual teachers to plan lessons together, as we saw with the 7th grade science lesson scenario involving Mr. Zhang and Mr. Lewis. In this co-planning scenario, each teacher used his expertise to better integrate content and language instruction for the language learners. This type of collaboration can help a teacher like Mr. Zhang learn more about the second language acquisition process of his students and can help a teacher like Mr. Lewis become more familiar with the grade-level content expectations that his English learners encounter in content area classes.

How do I know which language objectives are best for my students?

The language objective that the teacher selects will depend on what the English learners in the class need most at that point in the year and what language is most important to understanding the content concepts. If the students have already spent a good deal of time working with new vocabulary, then the teacher might consider having students use that vocabulary to develop their writing skill by writing a summary of the process they followed.

Conversely, the teacher might want to help students become more proficient with a particular type of graphic organizer in order to develop more strategic language learning. As all teachers know, teaching is a dynamic and complex process that requires a multitude of decisions to be made. However, the advance planning required in creating language objectives allows teachers to better anticipate the academic English needs of all students thus increasing the comprehensibility of the lessons.

It is important for teachers to realize that even though their lesson may include all four language skills (it is good if they do, since the language skills reinforce one another), they do not need to post a language objective for every language-related item addressed in the lesson. Teachers address many instructional needs in a 50- or 60-minute class period. Rather than highlighting all language uses in a particular lesson, it is important for the teacher to think about what is non-negotiable in that lesson.

In other words, the teacher should keep the perspective of the English learner in mind and ask, "Of all of the skills and functions addressed in my lesson, which is most important for helping students meet the grade-level standard and develop their language proficiency?" These objectives then must be measureable (i.e., can you see or assess the student's mastery of that objective?) and written in language that accounts for the linguistic and cognitive development of the students.

Language objectives: More examples

A second grade English Language Arts class language objective might be something like this:

" I can write describing words about Charlotte and Wilbur. "

A language objectives for a high school English Language Arts class might look something like this:

Students will be able to orally justify their character's actions during a discussion group.

How can I make language objectives "student-friendly"?

Both of the above objectives are measurable, but both also take into account appropriate developmental stages of the students. Teachers of young students (e.g., PK or K) may even want to consider further adapting the objectives. For example, we have seen kindergarten teachers use symbols such as a pencil to symbolize "write" and a mouth to symbolize "talk" when they post their objectives for the children to see. We have also seen teachers of young learners rely on pictures to show the key terms they want the students to use or to convey the topic of the lesson (e.g., a picture of a ruler and of hands to discuss standard and non-standard measurement).

One way that teachers can ensure that their language objectives are measureable and student-friendly is by using appropriate verbs. Because language objectives should provide students with practice in the four language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, verbs related to those skills might include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Summarize in writing

It is also important to not equate low language proficiency with limited cognitive ability. Therefore, teachers will want to make sure that the language objectives they create also reflect tasks that fall on the higher end of Bloom's Taxonomy and use verbs (e.g., orally justify) accordingly.

As noted above in the guidelines to creating language objectives, language functions are also a potential source for language objectives. Verbs related to language functions might include:

• Orally explain
• Report findings in writing

Classroom example #2: Solving math inequalities

This example offers some ideas for creating language objectives using the Common Core and WIDA ELP standards.

CCCSO Math Standard: Solve equations and inequalities in one variable

Math task: Solve multi-step inequalities that involve multiplying or dividing by variables

Content objective: Students will be able to solve inequalities

WIDA ELP Standard, Language of Math: Rephrase or recite phrases or sentences involved in problem solving using models and visual support in L1 or L2 with a partner; Explain to peers, with details, strategies for solving problem

Possible language objectives:

• Students will record ideas in a graphic organizer showing the steps in the process.
• Students will write a summary of the process followed to solve the problem.
• Students will define and use key math vocabulary (list key vocabulary).
• Students will read a story problem, identify key information, and solve the problem.
• Students will create their own story problems.

When should I share language objectives with students?

To help students take ownership of their learning and provide explicit direction to students, especially the English learners who are processing content in a new language, it is important that objectives be stated at the beginning of the lesson and reviewed with the students at the end of the lesson to allow them to assess if they have met the objectives (Echevarria, Vogt & Short, 2008).

How this happens may differ according to the grade level and content area of the class. Some teachers like to have the students choral read the objectives, while teachers of older students sometimes have them record the language objectives in their journal in addition to asking an individual student to read them aloud. Some teachers, such as those who teach science, like to reveal the objectives later in the lesson, perhaps after the warm up or exploratory activity, so that they can maintain an inquiry-based approach (Echevarria & Colburn, 2006).

Should I differentiate language objectives based on my students' language proficiency?

Although all teachers have students of varying language proficiency and skill levels in their classes, it is not necessary to differentiate language objectives by creating and posting multiple language objectives that reflect these proficiency levels. Rather, teachers should have one language objective that is appropriate for all students to meet. To provide the appropriate differentiation, the teacher would provide different scaffolds (e.g., adapted text, visuals, sentence frames) for students to use in order to reach the objectives.

For example, an appropriate language objective for an upper elementary language arts class might be for the students to be able to orally list text features found in a non-fiction book. For lower proficiency language learners, the teacher may give them a word bank from which to choose the text features; therefore, the students are meeting the same objective but with the appropriate amount of linguistic support from the teacher.

Using language objectives in a distance learning environment

While teachers like Ms. Shell understand that the characteristics of good teaching for English learners does not change in a virtual environment, they do understand that instruction will necessarily need to look different in order to account for the challenges that distance learning presents for many learners.

Accordingly, teachers will need to think through how to:

• present language objectives to learners in engaging ways
• measure learner understanding of the objective throughout the delivery of the lesson
• assess student mastery towards those objectives.

Presenting language objectives

Many different ways exist for teachers to present language objectives in remote learning. For example, teachers might:

• begin every virtual class by orally reading and presenting the content and language objectives in their Google slides and then asking students to briefly summarize in the chat box the activities they will be doing in that lesson to meet those objectives.
• post the objectives at the top of a shared digital document that serves as a capture sheet for the lesson. A teacher might then ask learners to self-assess their progress towards meeting those objectives at the end of the document.
• use live or recorded videos, especially when working with English learners with lower English proficiency. These videos can include props, for example ears to signify a listening objective.
• use realia, such as rocks, if one of the lesson's language aims is for students to orally describe different types of sedimentary rocks.

Monitoring student understanding and engagement

Teachers in distance learning environments must also carefully consider how they will assess learner understanding and engagement throughout the lesson. Given the challenges virtual learning platforms present towards capturing data on learner comprehension (e.g., paralinguistic cues such as facial expressions, gestures, posture) teachers working in virtual environments know that it is more important than ever to ensure that students clearly understand the content and linguistic aims for each lesson.

Using comprehension checks and assessing progress

It is also essential that students understand how teachers will measure their progress towards meeting each objective. Towards this aim, teachers must build in multiple comprehension checks throughout the lesson that align to the lesson's objectives. Teachers can:

• use apps such as Kahoot to create quick and simple comprehension checks throughout a lesson
• incorporate turn and talks via breakout rooms at preset intervals throughout a lesson that provide the teacher an opportunity to determine if students are practicing the academic language highlighted in the language objective
• visit the breakout rooms and use a simple oral language checklist to measure student progress towards linguistic aims of lessons, or teachers can capture that information via the use of shared digital documents where students synthesize in writing their oral discussion.

At the conclusion of a lesson, teachers can assess student progress towards meeting objectives via:

• tickets out that are submitted digitally
• the recording of a Flipgrid or use of another video platform where learners respond to a prompt that requires learners to use the academic language highlighted in the lesson's objectives.

Teachers can respond to the submitted tickets out or video with feedback that explicitly targets the students use of the language. When appropriate, teacher can provide learners with additional resources and/or support towards mastering that particular language skill or function. Teachers might also use that linguistic data to inform mini-lessons conducted to small groups of English learners during office hours or intervention time.

How can I learn more?

For more information on the SIOP Model, see Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: The SIOP Model (Echevarria, Short, & Vogt, 2008).

Although language objectives can be implemented in any lesson design approach, they are especially congruent with sheltered instruction and the SIOP Model. Since language objectives ensure that teachers meet the unique linguistic needs of English learners, they are sometimes easier to implement in the context of instructional practices espoused by the SIOP Model.

Practices that focus on explicit academic language teaching include:

• development of key vocabulary
• peer-to-peer interaction
• meaningful activities that allow learners to practice the academic language in authentic contexts.

Below are other resources that can help you learn more about creating language objectives and about integrating academic language into content area classes.

Final Thoughts

We realize that it takes teachers some time to become very comfortable with creating language objectives, but our experience has shown that the implementation of language objectives can bring immediate benefits to instruction. Some immediate benefits include teachers understanding more concretely that they are both a content area and language teacher — as one teacher said in a CAL SIOP Model workshop, "I now see myself as a math teacher AND a language teacher".

We have also observed that when teachers consciously plan to meet the academic English needs of their learners, they end up with better planned learner tasks, and students begin to have more ownership of their content area and language learning. When it comes to building proficiency in academic English, as many teachers in our workshops remind us, "If you want to see it, you have to teach it." Therefore, if teachers want to see language development, language objectives are a great first step in helping teachers explicitly teach it.

Recommended Resources

• Crafting Language Objectives to Support ELLs (ELLevation)
• Language Objectives: Google Site (Supporting English Language Learners)
• Using Content and Language Objectives to Help All ELLs with Their Learning (Achieve the Core)
• How to Write Language and Culture Objectives (Empowering ELLs)

Further reading

Short, D., Himmel, J., Gutierrez, S., & Hudec, J. (2012). Using the SIOP Model: Professional development for sheltered instruction . Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M.E., & Short, D. (2010). The SIOP Model for teaching mathematics to English learners . Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Echevarria, J., & Short, D. (2011). The SIOP Model: A professional development framework for a comprehensive school-wide intervention . Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners (CREATE) Brief. http://www.cal.org/create/resources/pubs/professional-development-framework.html

Himmel, J., Short, D., Richards, C., & Echevarria, J. (2009). Using the SIOP Model to improve middle school science instruction . Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners (CREATE) Brief. http://www.cal.org/create/resources/pubs/siopscience.html

Short, D., Vogt, M., & Echevarria, J. (2010a). The SIOP Model for teaching history-social studies to English learners . Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Short, D., Vogt, M., & Echevarria, J. (2010b). The SIOP Model for teaching science to English learners . Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Vogt, M.E., Echevarria, J., & Short, D. (2010). The SIOP Model for teaching English language arts to English learners . Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

About the Author

Jennifer Himmel is the Project Director for the National Center for English Language Acquisition at the Manhattan Strategy Group. She previously served as the SIOP Manager at the Center for Applied Linguistics, a non-profit organization for language education research, policy, and practice in Washington, DC. She has served as a curriculum developer and research associate for the U.S. Department of Education funded project, Center for Research on the Educational Achievement and Teaching of English Language Learners (CREATE) that is investigating academic achievement of ELLs in grades 4th-8th, and as a language testing specialist for the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® language proficiency test. She currently manages the SIOP Model professional development service line and provides technical assistance and professional development in sheltered instruction to districts and schools.

Video Clips: Language Objectives

How to write language objectives: tips for ell educators.

In this video from Syracuse, NY, Jesus Ortiz, a bilingual teacher, learns how to write a language objective from Areli Schermerhorn, a peer evaluator with expertise in ELL and bilingual education.

Dr. Cynthia Lundgren explains language objectives

In this excerpt from her Meet the Expert interview , Dr. Cynthia Lundgren explains the value of writing language objectives when teaching English learners.

Anstrom, K., DiCerbo, P., Butler, F., Katz, A., Millet, J., & Rivera, C. (2010). A review of the literature on academic English: Implications for K-12 English language learners . Arlington, VA: The George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence. Education.www.ceee.gwu.edu.

Echevarria, J., & Colburn, A. (2006). Designing lessons: Inquiry approach to science using the SIOP Model. In A. Lathman & D. Crowther (Eds.), Science for English language learners (pp.95-108). Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers Association Press.

Echevarria, J., Vogt, M., & Short, D. (2008). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model . Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Echevarria, J., & Short, D. ( 2010). Programs and practices for effective sheltered content instruction. In California Department of Education (Ed), Improving education for English learners: Research-based approaches . Sacramento, CA: CDE Press.

Francis, D., Rivera, M., Lesaux, N., Kieffer, M., & Rivera, H. (2006). Practical guidelines for the education of English language learners: Research-based recommendations for instruction and academic interventions . Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction. www.centeroninstruction.org/files/ELL1-Interventions.pdf

Goldenberg, C. (2008). Teaching English language learners: What the research does-and does not-say. American Educator , Summer 2008, pp. 13-44.

Gottlieb, M., Cranley, E., & Cammilleri, A. (2007). Understanding the WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards: A resource guide . Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, on behalf of the WIDA Consortium.

World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (2007). WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards . Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, on behalf of the WIDA Consortium http://www.wida.us/standards/elp.asp

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Home » Blog » Learning Objectives: How to Write, Types and Examples

Learning Objectives: How to Write, Types and Examples

For students, learning objectives provide an overview of the key points and main building blocks covered in a topic.

Skillshub’s experience in the academic and corporate world shows that having established learning objectives can help to improve engagement, motivation, and results.

As a thought leader in the field of educational objectives, we believe there are several types and structures of learning objectives you should consider when planning a course or lesson.

In this article, we’ll look at how to write learning objectives effectively, different types of learning objectives, and provide some example objectives to help you get started.

What are Learning Objectives?

Before we cover the details of writing learning objectives, it’s important to understand what they are and why having them is essential.

Learning objectives provide an overview of the topics covered in a course or lesson and allow everyone involved—teachers, students, and even administrators—to have a shared understanding of the goals for any given session.

In simple terms, learning objectives:

• Outline what students should be able to do after completing the lesson
• Provide a shared understanding of the topics covered in a course or lesson
• Help teachers plan and assess learning activities
• Allow administrators to monitor student progress
• Make it easier for students to review key material

Essentially, learning objectives provide a framework that benefits everyone involved in the learning process.

Learn How To Create Personal Learning Journeys For FREE!

What’s the difference between a learning objective and a learning outcome.

Learning outcomes and learning objectives are superficially similar, as in both cases, the two terms are used to describe what students should be able to do after completing a course or lesson.

However, there is an essential distinction between the two.

A learning objective refers specifically to the topics that will be covered during a lesson/course. Learning outcomes, on the other hand, look beyond mere knowledge and provide evaluations on how well students can apply what they’ve learned.

For instance, a learning objective may be to “understand the components of the water cycle”. A learning outcome related to this might be to “identify ways in which humans are impacting the global water cycle.”

The learning objective here defines how the lesson or course should be structured, while the learning outcome provides an evaluation of how well students understand and can apply what they have learned.

Benefits of Well-Written Learning Objectives

Now that you’ve got a clearer understanding of what learning objectives are and how they differ from learning outcomes, let’s take a look at the benefits of having well-crafted learning objectives in place.

There is a wide range of material benefits associated with creating and leveraging learning objectives, including:

Improved lesson and course planning

A clearly stated learning objective provides the basis for lesson and course planning. Well-written objectives help teachers identify not only the topics that need to be covered, but also the resources (e.g., books or videos) needed to cover them effectively.

Improved assessment

Having established learning objectives in place helps teachers create assessments which accurately evaluate student understanding of any given topic.

Teachers can use learning objectives to create quizzes, tests, and other assessments to accurately evaluate student knowledge.

Improved student understanding

Clear learning objectives are helpful for students in a number of ways.

For instance, having an overview of the topics covered in a lesson or course can help students track their progress more effectively and identify areas which may need review.

Furthermore, having objectives in place can help reduce the cognitive load associated with learning new topics, allowing students to focus more on their understanding of a subject rather than worrying about what needs to be done next.

Increased student engagement

Having established learning objectives in place can help keep students and employees engaged during lessons and lectures.

When students have a clear understanding of the topics covered, it becomes easier for them to follow along with the lesson plan and stay focused on the topic at hand.

Furthermore, providing objectives can motivate students by setting out specific goals they should be working towards.

More effective communication between teachers, students, and administrators

A shared understanding of learning objectives helps to ensure effective communication between all stakeholders in the educational process.

Teachers can use objectives to effectively communicate expectations with students, while administrators can use them to monitor student progress.

Having established learning objectives also makes it easier for teachers and administrators to identify potential issues or areas in which students may need additional support.

A better focus on the topics covered in a given course or lesson

Finally, having learning objectives in place helps to ensure that all stakeholders are focusing on the topics covered in a lesson or course.

Objectives set out specific goals which everyone should be working towards and help to keep discussions focused.

By providing an overview of the topics covered, learning objectives can also help teachers identify areas which need further exploration or review.

Overall, having clear learning objectives can help to improve results by providing everyone involved with a shared understanding of the goals of any given lesson or course.

How to Write Effective Learning Objectives

While the basic idea of learning objectives is simple, the act of creating effective learning objectives requires a bit more thought and consideration.

Let’s take a look at some tips to help you craft practical learning objectives:

Understanding the ABCD Model

The ABCD model provides a foundation for creating effective learning objectives.

The ABCD stands for:

The Audience portion of the ABCD model refers to whom the objective is intended for. The intended audience for any learning objective should modify the content and language used in the objective.

For instance, objectives for younger students may need to be simplified or contain more visual aids, whereas objectives for adult learners can assume a higher level of knowledge and use more sophisticated language.

The Behaviour associated with the ABCD model refers to what type of action should be taken by the audience in question.

This could include analytical thinking, problem-solving, writing, or any other behaviour which is relevant to the topic being covered.

The type of behaviour should be specific and clearly defined in order for it to be effectively measured.

The Condition portion of the model refers to what context or circumstances will have an impact on how the objective is achieved.

For instance, a learning objective may require students to solve a problem in a particular way (e.g., without using a calculator).

The condition portion of the ABCD model ensures that any necessary qualifications are taken into account when crafting an objective.

The Degree portion of the ABCD model refers to how successful students should be in order to achieve the learning objective.

This can include anything from basic understanding to complete mastery of the topic in question.

The degree should be clearly specified so that it can be effectively measured when assessing student performance.

Putting it all together

In other words, learning objectives should provide a description of who is being taught, what they should be able to do afterwards, the conditions under which this can be achieved, and how well it must be done.

Using the ABCD model provides an accessible framework that specific learning objectives can be crafted around.

Breaking Down the Process

To help you master the process of creating effective learning objectives, we’ve broken down the process into four steps:

Identify your audience

When crafting learning objectives, it’s important to consider who the objective is intended for. Identifying the intended audience will inform the language and content used in crafting the objective.

Specify desired learner behaviour

Having a specific behaviour in mind will help you create a practical learning objective. Consider which behaviours are necessary for learners to master the topic, and strive to ensure that the objectives reflect these behaviours.

Determine the conditions and constraints

The conditions and constraints surrounding the learning objective should be made explicit. This includes any qualifications or stipulations which must be met in order for learners to achieve the objective.

It should also consider any possible constraints or limitations that may impact how the objective is achieved. These constraints could include time or resource limitations, for example.

Define the degree of success desired

Finally, you should determine how successful learners must be in order to achieve the objective. This could include understanding basic concepts or mastering all aspects of a topic.

By defining the degree of success desired, it will be easier to measure whether learners have achieved the objective.

The degree should be specific and measurable in order for learners to effectively work towards it. This could include anything from basic understanding to complete mastery of the topic in question.

Taking a step-by-step process

By taking a step-by-step approach to creating practical learning objectives, it will be easier to ensure that the desired outcome is achieved.

Ideally, any learning objective should contain all of the necessary information to help learners understand what they need to do in order to succeed.

To achieve this, you should start by outlining what the learner needs to do in a clear and concise manner.

Then, break down each step into more detailed tasks to ensure that all necessary aspects of the objective are included. This could include defining any qualifications or constraints which may impact the completion of the task.

Finally, consider how successful learners must be in order to achieve the task set out in the learning objectives. This should be measurable so that learners can effectively work towards it and track their progress.

By taking a step-by-step approach to writing learning objectives, you will be able to ensure that the desired outcomes are achieved for each lesson or course.

Types of Learning Objectives

There are three primary types of learning objectives that can be used as the basis for crafting your own practical learning objectives.

Using these archetypes along with the ABCD model will help to ensure that your objectives are specific, measurable, and achievable.

Knowledge-based Objectives

Knowledge-based objectives are used to measure the learner’s understanding of a particular concept.

This type of objective should focus on testing the learner’s knowledge and comprehension in order to assess their level of understanding.

A good example of a knowledge-based objective would be:

“The learner will be able to explain the process of photosynthesis in at least three sentences.”

Skill-based Objectives

Skill-based objectives are used to assess the learner’s ability to apply their understanding of a concept.

This type of objective should focus on testing the learner’s ability to use the knowledge they have acquired in order to complete a task.

A good example of a skill-based objective would be:

“The learner will be able to apply the principles of photosynthesis to solve a problem.”

Attitude-based Objectives

Attitude-based objectives are used to assess the learner’s attitude towards the concept.

This type of objective should focus on testing the learner’s ability to think critically about a concept and their willingness to apply this knowledge in real-world situations.

A good example of an attitude-based objective would be:

“The learner will be able to demonstrate an understanding of photosynthesis and its implications for sustainability.”

Learning Objectives Examples

To help make the process of crafting practical learning objectives easier, here are some examples you can use as a reference point.

Knowledge-Based Objectives Examples

“The learner will be able to list the three main components of photosynthesis and explain their role in the process.”

“The learner will be able to identify the five primary sources of energy used in photosynthesis and explain how they are utilised.”

Skill-Based Objectives Examples

“The learner will be able to apply their knowledge of photosynthesis to construct a model demonstrating the process.”

“The learner will be able to use the principles of photosynthesis to design an experiment that tests one of its aspects. “

Attitude-Based Objectives Examples

“The learner will be able to discuss the implications of photosynthesis on climate change and how it can help reduce negative impacts.”

“The learner will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of photosynthesis for our environment and its impact on sustainability.”

Best Practices for Writing Learning Objectives

While writing learning objectives can be challenging, the good news is that there is established best practice for crafting effective and practical learning objectives.

By following these guidelines, you will be able to ensure that your learning objectives are clear, achievable, and useful.

Make your Objectives Specific and Measurable

Good learning objectives are specific and should clearly indicate what the learner needs to accomplish to achieve the desired outcome. They should also be measurable so that it is evident when the learner has achieved them.

Use Action Verbs

Action verbs should be used in the learning objectives to indicate what the learner will do. This will make it clear to both the trainer and the learners what is expected of them.

Action verbs include:

• Understand • Identify • Demonstrate • Apply

Consider the Level of Difficulty

Before writing the learning objective, you should consider the difficulty level appropriate for the learners. The degree of difficulty should be challenging but also achievable so that learners can successfully work towards it.

Align objectives with the overall learning goals

Learning objectives should be aligned with the overall learning goals of the course or lesson. This will ensure that all objectives contribute towards achieving the desired outcome for the learners.

Turning Learning Objectives into Training Objectives

While learning objectives are most commonly used in educational settings to help guide the learning process, they can also be used as a basis for creating training objectives.

Training objectives should focus on the desired outcomes from the training activity and use similar language and structure as learning objectives.

The critical difference is that the focus will be more on how to best achieve these outcomes rather than what needs to be learned.

Some strategies for turning objectives into training objectives include:

• Focus on how to effectively apply the knowledge or skills acquired from the learning activity.
• Consider how best to facilitate the transfer of this knowledge or skill so that learners can use it in their professional lives. Make sure the objective is measurable and achievable.

An example of a training objective derived from a learning objective is:

Learning Objective: “The learner will be able to identify the five primary sources of energy used in photosynthesis and explain how they are utilised.”

Training Objective: “The learners will understand how to combine different sources of energy to create new products or applications.”

Developing content and assessments that align with objectives

The primary difference between learning and training objectives is that learning objectives focus on knowledge acquisition, whereas training objectives focus on skill development.

Where learning objectives prioritise content that teaches the learner about a specific concept, training objectives focus on developing problem-solving skills that can be applied to real-world scenarios.

When it comes to assessments, learning objectives should align with content and assessments that allow learners to demonstrate their understanding of the material. This could include multiple choice questions, short answer tests, and even practical activities.

By comparison, assessments for training objectives should encourage learners to apply their skills in a practical setting. This could include case studies, simulations, and group activities that allow learners to use the knowledge they have acquired in a problem-solving context.

Assessing and Evaluating Learning Objectives

Once written, learning objectives should not be static and should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are still relevant and achievable. To assess the learning objectives, it is essential to use both formative and summative assessments.

Formative assessments should be used during the learning process to measure progress and help identify any areas where learners may need additional support or guidance. This could include quizzes, tests, or group activities.

On the other hand, summative assessments should be used at the end of the learning process to measure the transfer of learning. These could include essays or presentations that require learners to demonstrate their understanding of the material.

By regularly assessing and evaluating your learning objectives, you can ensure they remain relevant and achievable for all learners. This is particularly true of training objectives where the application of the skills acquired is tested in a practical setting.

Measuring Learning Objectives

The ability to measure learning objectives is essential for assessing the success of a course or lesson. Learning objectives should be measurable to ensure it is evident when learners have met them.

As mentioned, formative assessments should be used during the learning process to help measure progress, while summative assessments should be used to measure how much learners have learned.

Other methods for measuring learning objectives include:

• Pre- and Post-Tests: This involves administering a test or quiz before and after the lesson to measure how much the learners have learned.
• Self-Assessments: Ask learners to reflect on what they have learned at the end of each lesson or session.
• Observation: An observer can be used to watch a learning activity and provide feedback on how well learners are performing.
• Projects: Ask learners to create a project or product at the end of the lesson that demonstrates their understanding of the material.

By using these different methods of measurement, you can ensure that your learning objectives are being met and that learners are gaining the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

Final Thoughts

Learning objectives are essential for any educational or training setting.

By measuring learning objectives regularly, you can more accurately track the success of your course or lesson and ensure that all learners achieve their desired outcomes.

Skillshub’s innovative eLearning platform makes it easy for trainers to create, measure, and assess learning objectives. With tools like quizzes and assessments, and reporting tools to track progress, Skillshub can help you ensure that all learners are achieving their desired outcomes.

Our professionally designed off-the-shelf courses are also a great way to get started and provide you with all the tools and resources you need to develop engaging and interactive courses.

With our comprehensive suite of e-learning solutions, Skillshub can ensure that your learners have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

If you’re looking for an easy and efficient way to create, measure, and assess learning objectives, Skillshub is the perfect platform for you.

As an eLearning company , Skillshub is committed to creating efficient and impactful learning experiences.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you achieve your educational goals.

Sean McPheat

Sean is the CEO of Skillshub. He’s a published author and has been featured on CNN, BBC and ITV as a leading authority in the learning and development industry. Sean is responsible for the vision and strategy at Skillshub, helping to ensure innovation within the company.

Updated on: 11 October, 2023

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2 Overall Learning Objectives

By reading and completing activities in this resource you will be able to:.

• Identify and use different language basics – parts of speech, grammatical and sentence structures
• Demonstrate note-taking skills
• Apply paraphrasing, quoting, summarising, and referencing techniques
• Understand the importance of academic integrity
• Understand and apply annotated reading techniques
• Synthesize and integrate source material
• Write and complete an oral presentation
• Understand the process of academic writing for more than one purpose
• Determine the type of academic writing you might be asked to complete
• Review approaches to developing and structuring ideas
• Develop a thesis statement with a single assertion or dual perspectives
• Concept Mapping
• Drafting paragraphs
• Searching for academic sources for quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing
• Integrating sources / evidence, and applying the evidence using reasoning
• Overcoming obstacles to academic writing
• Challenging your preconceived assumptions and biases to write objectively
• Apply strategies for writing cohesive academic essays – including the introduction, body paragraph structure, and a conclusion
• Use key questions for revising and editing

There are activities for you to do throughout this resource. Each activity will have this banner above it:

Academic Writing Skills Copyright © 2021 by Patricia Williamson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Crafting Language Objectives for English Language Learners (ELLs)

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The introduction of new standards for English Language Learners has resulted in an increase in rigor and a focus on academic language . With this shift, language service models that isolate language objectives from content, such as pull-out or ESL classes, are becoming less common as school districts refocus on language instruction that is embedded within high-quality, well-scaffolded content instruction.

When creating content-based language instruction, educators must develop unit and lesson content that allows ELs to access the same rigorous, standards-based, grade-level content. In particular, educators need to develop content-based language objectives , which clarify how students will develop language within content instruction.

Alison Balter, an EL leader from Lawrence Public Schools in Massachusetts, worked with Jordan Meranus to share effective strategies that she uses to develop language objectives and integrate them into lessons and units. Below we have outlined some of these key strategies.

What are language objectives?

Language objectives clarify how language instruction is integrated with content, and specifically identify:

• The way ELL students will use language objectives to engage with the content of the lesson and accomplish the content objectives
• The specific components of academic language (vocabulary, language structures, etc.) that students will need to learn to accomplish the language objectives

With advanced planning, language objectives help to identify the scaffolds that teachers must have ready to support differentiated instruction for their ELs.

How do I create language objectives?

When creating language objectives you should begin by clarifying and identifying the following:

• Content objective – identify the content objective that you plan to supplement with language objectives. While you may not create a language objective for every content objective, Alison recommends that you identify the "power objectives", or essential objectives, within a broader unit and use those to create language objectives.
• Knowledge of ELL Student Levels – build an understanding of students’ language proficiency levels so that you know how to adjust the language objectives, differentiate instruction, and apply accommodations for multilingual learners.
• Domain – identify the domain (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) that you plan to focus on. It often helps to think about what you are asking students to do (e.g., a debate-focused content objective would lend itself to a Speaking language objective).

Next, you will use this key information to craft a language objective composed of the following three components:

• Language function – the purpose of the language or linguistic processes required in conveying a message, which includes a verb or action that describes what a student should do (e.g., identify, interpret, evaluate, describe)
• Support – identifies the supports and scaffolds (sensory, graphic, interactive) that the students will need (e.g., vocabulary sheets, visuals, etc.)
• Link to Content – the link to the content topic

Within this structure you will be able to adjust the language function and supports to match students’ different language proficiency levels.

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Pedagogy – best practices – technology.

Writing Effective Learning Objectives

Developing learning objectives is part of the instructional design framework known as Backward Design, a student-centric approach that aligns learning objectives with assessment and instruction.

Clearly defined objectives form the foundation for selecting appropriate content, learning activities and assessment plans. Learning objectives help you to:

• plan the sequence for instruction, allocate time to topics, assemble materials and plan class outlines.
• develop a guide to teaching allowing you to plan different instructional methods for presenting different parts of the content. (e.g. small group discussions of a common misconception).
• facilitate various assessment activities including assessing students, your instruction, and the curriculum.

Think about what a successful student in your course should be able to do on completion. Questions to ask are: What concepts should they be able to apply? What kinds of analysis should they be able to perform? What kind of writing should they be able to do? What types of problems should they be solving? Learning objectives provide a means for clearly describing these things to learners, thus creating an educational experience that will be meaningful.

Following are strategies for creating learning objectives.

I. Use S.M.A.R.T. Attributes

Learning objectives should have the following S.M.A.R.T. attributes.

S pecific – Concise, well-defined statements of what students will be able to do. M easurable – The goals suggest how students will be assessed. Start with action verbs that can be observed through a test, homework, or project (e.g., define, apply, propose). A ttainable – Students have the pre-requisite knowledge and skills and the course is long enough that students can achieve the objectives. R elevant – The skills or knowledge described are appropriate for the course or the program in which the course is embedded. T ime-bound – State when students should be able to demonstrate the skill (end of the course, end of semester, etc.).

II. Use Behavioral Verbs

Another useful tip for learning objectives is to use behavioral verbs that are observable and measurable. Fortunately, Bloom’s taxonomy provides a list of such verbs and these are categorized according to the level of achievement at which students should be performing. (See The Innovative Instructor post: A Guide to Bloom’s Taxonomy ) Using concrete verbs will help keep your objectives clear and concise.

Here is a selected, but not definitive, list of verbs to consider using when constructing learning objectives:

assemble, construct, create, develop, compare, contrast, appraise, defend, judge, support, distinguish, examine, demonstrate, illustrate, interpret, solve, describe, explain, identify, summarize, cite, define, list, name, recall, state, order, perform, measure, verify, relate

While the verbs above clearly distinguish the action that should be performed, there are verbs to avoid when writing a learning objective. The following verbs are too vague or difficult to measure:

appreciate, cover, realize, be aware of, familiarize, study, become acquainted with, gain knowledge of, comprehend, know, learn, understand, learn

III. Leverage Bloom’s Taxonomy

Since Blooms taxonomy establishes a framework for categorizing educational goals, having an understanding of these categories is useful for planning learning activities and writing learning objectives.

Examples of Learning Objectives

At end of the [module, unit, course] students will be able to…

… identify and explain major events from the Civil War. (American History)

… effectively communicate information, ideas and proposals in visual, written, and oral forms. (Marketing Communications)

… analyze kinetic data and obtain rate laws. (Chemical Engineering)

…interpret DNA sequencing data. (Biology)

…discuss and form persuasive arguments about a variety of literary texts produced by Roman authors of the Republican period. (Classics)

…evaluate the appropriateness of the conclusions reached in a research study based on the data presented. (Sociology)

…design their own fiscal and monetary policies. (Economics)

Additional Resources

• Bloom, B., Englehart, M. Furst, E., Hill, W., & Krathwohl, D. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain . New York, Toronto: Longmans, Green.
• Writing learning objectives. http://sites.uci.edu/medsim/files/2015/03/Writing-learning-objectives.pdf

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Richard Shingles, Lecturer, Biology Department

Richard Shingles is a faculty member in the Biology department and also works with the Center for Educational Resources at Johns Hopkins University. He is the Director of the TA Training Institute and The Summer Teaching Institute on the Homewood campus of JHU. Dr. Shingles also provides pedagogical and technological support to instructional faculty, post-docs and graduate students.

Images source: © Reid Sczerba, Center for Educational Resources, 2016

19 thoughts on “ Writing Effective Learning Objectives ”

The post is interesting. Can I share it?

Yes you may, just please link back.

I agree! Perfect to help my pre-service teachers! Thank you.

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From the viewpoint of SPECIFIC , isn’t it that singularity of behavior that can be measured rather than two behaviors at the same time as noted in your example “Identify and explain” is more preferable. I think combining two behaviors at the same time defeats the purpose of concise

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I agree with separating the two behaviors into two learning objective statements.

Thanks for the concrete suggestions for writing course objectives.

Quite helpful due to such clear explanations. Thanks.

I am especially drawn by the list of verbs and verbal expressions not to use in preparing learning objectives, some of which I had not considered but these expressions do express a level of noncommittal and ambiguity. This is useful information

I really appreciate this article, it has really helped me a lot. I will take what I learned from this article and apply the knowledge for when I create the online classes for the fall 202 semester and further into the future.

This was an excellent article. I appreciated both lists of verbs. The lists will help me in the future, and they’re a great resource to continually use.

Thank You for the clear and concise information.

Very good article on specific terms that identify what is required from the students.

I first learned of Bloom’s taxonomy when I took Applying the QM Rubric. This is a great guide to help me with articulating learning objectives and creative module and course level objectives.

Helpful to have specific examples in different content areas, thanks!

I appreciated the differences between concrete verbs and vague verbs.

Excellent description of what we should be listing for the students. In the pass, our objectives were vague and not always measurable other than quizzes, tests, written assignments, and exams. This proposal assures that each objective can be measured and provides the students how to determine their understanding and grasp of the materials and requirements.

Thank You: I enjoyed reading this, it was very helpful, I do plan to utilize it. Also, the GoEd, Article, How to successfully learn from Online courses, is broken, it returns as an error

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• Knowledge Base

The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

• Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
• Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
• Revision:  Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Table of contents

Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

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Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

• Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
• Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
• Do your research: Read  primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
• Come up with a thesis:  The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
• Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Write your essay introduction

The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a  topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

• Returns to your thesis
• Ties together your main points
• Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

• Including new arguments or evidence
• Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
• Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Write your essay conclusion

Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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• Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning
• Instructional Guide

Writing Goals and Objectives

“If you’re not sure where you are going, you’re liable to end up some place else.” ~ Robert Mager, 1997

Instructional goals and objectives are the heart of instruction. When well- written, goals and objectives will help identify course content, structure the lecture, and guide the selection of meaningful and relevant activities and assessments. In addition, by stating clear instructional goals and objectives, you help students understand what they should learn and exactly what they need to do.

Course Goals

A course goal may be defined as a broad statement of intent or desired accomplishment. Goals do not specify exactly each step, component, or method to accomplish the task, but they help pave the way to writing effective learning objectives. Typical course goals include a number of subordinate skills, which are further identified and clarified as learning objectives.

A course goal may be defined as a broad statement of intent or desired accomplishment.

For example, an English 102 goal might be to prepare students for English 103. The goal “prepare students” specifies the big picture or general direction or purpose of the course. Course goals often do not specify student outcomes or how outcomes will be assessed. If you have difficulty defining a course goal, brainstorm reasons your course exists and why students should enroll in it. Your ideas can then generate course-related goals. Course goals often originate in the course description and should be written before developing learning objectives. You should also discuss course goals with your colleagues who teach the same class so that you can align your goals to provide students with a somewhat consistent experience of the course.

Course Goal Examples

Marketing course .

Students will learn about personal and professional development, interpersonal skills, verbal and written presentation skills, sales and buying processes, and customer satisfaction development and maintenance.

Physical Geography course

Students will understand the processes involved in the interactions between, spatial variations of, and interrelationships between hydrology, vegetation, landforms, and soils and humankind.

Theatre/Dance course

Students will investigate period style from pre-Egyptian through the Renaissance as it relates to theatrical production. Exploration of period clothing, manners, décor, and architecture with projects from dramatic literature.

General Goal Examples

• Students will know how to communicate in oral and written formats.
• Students will understand the effect of global warming.
• Students’ perspective on civil rights will improve .
• Students will learn key elements and models used in education.
• Students will grasp basic math skills.
• Students will understand the laws of gravity.

Learning Objectives

We cannot stop at course goals; we need to develop measurable objectives. Once you have written your course goals, you should develop learning objectives. Learning Objectives are different from goals in that objectives are narrow, discrete intentions of student performance, whereas goals articulate a global statement of intent. Objectives are measurable and observable, while goals are not.

Comparison of Goals and Objectives

• Broad, generalized statements about what is to be learned
• General intentions
• Cannot be validated
• Defined before analysis
• Written before objectives

Objectives are

• Narrow, specific statements about what is to be learned and performed
• Precise intentions
• Can be validated or measured
• Written after analysis
• Prepared before instruction is designed

Objectives should be written from the student’s point of view

Well-stated objectives clearly tell the student what they must do by following a specified degree or standard of acceptable performance and under what conditions the performance will take place. In other words, when properly written, objectives will tell your learners exactly what you expect them to do and how you will be able to recognize when they have accomplished the task.  Generally, each section/week/unit will have several objectives (Penn State University, n.p.). Section/week/unit objectives must also align with overall course objectives.

Well-stated objectives clearly tell the student what they must do ... and under what conditions the performance will take place.

Educators from a wide range of disciplines follow a common learning objective model developed by Heinich (as cited by Smaldino, Mims, Lowther, & Russell, 2019). This guide will follow the ABCD model as a starting point when learning how to craft effective learning objectives.

ABCD Model of Learning Objectives

• A udience: Who will be doing the behavior?
• B ehavior: What should the learner be able to do? What is the performance?
• C ondition: Under what conditions do you want the learner to be able to do it?
• D egree: How well must the behavior be done? What is the degree of mastery?

Writing a learning objective for each behavior you wish to measure is good instructional practice. By using the model as illustrated in Table 2, you will be able to fill in the characteristics to the right of each letter. This practice will allow you to break down more complex objectives (ones with more than one behavior) into smaller, more discrete objectives.

Writing a learning objective for each behavior you wish to measure is good instructional practice.

Behavioral Verbs

The key to writing learning objectives is using an action verb to describe the behavior you intend for students to perform. You can use action verbs such as calculate, read, identify, match, explain, translate, and prepare to describe the behavior further. On the other hand, words such as understand, appreciate, internalize, and value are not appropriate when writing learning objectives because they are not measurable or observable. Use these words in your course goals but not when writing learning objectives. See Verbs to Use in Creating Educational Objectives (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy) at the end of this guide.

Overt behavior: If the behavior is covert or not typically visible when observed, such as the word discriminate, include an indicator behavior to clarify to the student what she or he must be able to do to meet your expectations. For example, if you want your learners to be able to discriminate between good and bad apples, add the indicator behavior “sort” to the objective: Be able to discriminate (sort) the good apples from the bad apples.

Some instructors tend to forget to write learning objectives from the students’ perspective. Mager (1997) contends that when you write objectives, you should indicate what the learner is supposed to be able to do and not what you, the instructor, want to accomplish. Also, avoid using fuzzy phrases such as “to understand,” “to appreciate,” “to internalize,” and “to know,” which are not measurable or observable. These types of words can lead to student misinterpretation and misunderstanding of what you want them to do.

…avoid using fuzzy phrases such as “to understand,” “to appreciate,” “to internalize,” and “to know,” which are not measurable or observable.

The Link Between Learning Objectives and Course Activities and Assessment

After you have crafted your course goals and learning objectives, it is time to design course activities and assessments that will tell you if learning has occurred. Matching objectives with activities and assessments will also demonstrate whether you are teaching what you intended. These strategies and activities should motivate students to gain knowledge and skills useful for success in your course, future courses, and real-world applications. The table below illustrates objective behaviors with related student activities and assessments.

Examples of Linked Instructional Goals, Objectives, and Assessments

Instructional goal .

Students will know the conditions of free Blacks during antebellum south.

Learning Objective

In at least 2 paragraphs, students will describe the conditions of free Blacks in pre-Civil War America, including 3 of 5 major points that were discussed in class.

A traditional essay or essay exam.

Instructional Goal

Students will know how to analyze blood counts.

Given a sample of blood and two glass slides, students will demonstrate the prescribed method of obtaining a blood smear for microscopic analysis.

Instructor observation of student demonstration in a lab using a criterion checklist of critical steps for objective scoring.

Students will understand how to interpret classic literature.

Learning Objective 

Students will compare/contrast Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice and Marlowe’s Jaw of Malta in terms of plot, character, and social-political themes.

Assessment 

Instructional goals and learning objectives are the heart of your role as a learning facilitator. When written well, goals and objectives will assist you in identifying course content, help you structure your lecture, and allow you to select activities and assessments that are relevant and meaningful for learning. Make sure that you check with your department to determine whether they require certain learning objectives for a course, for example to align courses with Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) requirements for transferrable general education courses (see the current NIU Undergraduate Catalog section on “Illinois Articulation Initiative Core Curriculum).

Several sources are available that you can use to check the accuracy and efficacy of your learning objectives. The sources below provide checklists and other instruments to help you design effective and meaningful objectives.

Mager, R. F. (1997). Measuring instructional results: How to find out if your learning objectives have been achieved. (3 rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: CEP Press.

Mager, R. F. (1997). Preparing learning objectives: A critical tool in the development of effective instruction. (3 rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: CEP Press.

Penn State University, Schreyer Institute (n.p.). Learning outcomes assessment tutorial. https://sites.psu.edu/loatutorial/

Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., Mims, C., & Russell, J. D. (2019). Instructional technology and media for learning (12 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Selected Resources

Gronlund, N. E., & Brookhart, S. M. (2009). Gronlund’s writing instructional objectives (8 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Suggested citation

Northern Illinois University Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. (2020). Writing goals and objectives. In Instructional guide for university faculty and teaching assistants. Retrieved from https://www.niu.edu/citl/resources/guides/instructional-guide

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